Be a Big Pickney!

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You're an adult now. Time to get serious. Time to focus on the bigger picture and do "adult things"

These statements have been on my mind in recent times. For the simple reason that a few weeks ago 3 persons, in completely unrelated circumstances,referred to me a "big pickney" (for my non-Jamaican readers, a "pickney" is a child). Not because of immature actions but because I still have fun doing things that society prescribes for children. I love Hello Kitty and Winnie the Pooh and have found using colouring an occasional page or two very relaxing. I'm all right with that because children don't become familiar with stress in the way adults do until external exams hit them (and more recently GSAT *chuckle*). And as I said in one of my previous posts, it is because of these same quirky activities that I have managed to maintain my calm and achieve goals set at different points in my life.

When I think about some of the things in life that people enjoy and that allow them to let loose and not worry about all the back-and-forth and the up-and-down, it's very often an activity which kids do and/or something which is approached with the same whimsy and free-from-fear type of curiosity which children possess.

In a world where there is constant stress and things which threaten to (or in some cases actually do) mess up your plans and make life more difficult it's a relief to know that there are some simple and very often FREE, ways to lower stress and live a happier life in a simpler way.

That being said, since you're older at least you have the option of mixing it up with some "adult" fun too *wink*.

Peace and love.

xoxo

-Keeta

Thoughts that deserve a 10 out of 10...just Because

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Hello lovelies. I couldn't think of a better day on which to post a few thoughts which will hopefully add some light to your coming week and maybe even (since I'm an ambitious girl) for years to come. The last 4 months have been particularly hectic and stressful, and there have been times when I decided that "Ok, you got this" and other times when I've been "Ugh. Make it all stop". Last week I took some of my own advice which I had posted a while back in 6 Steps to Feeling Daunted along with a bit of the advice in The Simple Art of Reinvention. Since then I've regained more of my "muchness" and continued on the journey.

But I happened upon something today during some spring cleaning and rearranging of sorts, which was like Red Bull for a somewhat weary spirit. It was a card from one of my dearest friends who no number of words could describe fully, because of how truly dynamic and multi-faceted a person she is (and when you read what she gave me you will understand why I say this because she doesn't say things she doesn't mean). She sat and wrote out the words to T.D. Jake's "Because" for me and I thought I would do the same for you.

Because

Just because noone has been fortunate enough to realize what a gold mine you are

Doesn't mean you should shine any less

Just because noone has been smart enough to figure out that you can't be topped

Doesn't stop you from being the best

Just because noone has come along to share your life

Doesn't mean that day isn't coming

Just because nooone has made the race worthwhile

Doesn't give you permission to stop running

Just because noone has realized how much of an awesome woman you are

Doesn't mean they can affect your femininity

Just because noone has shown up who can love you on your level

Doesn't mean you have to sink to theirs

Just because you deserve the very best there is

Doesn't mean life will always be fair

Just because God is still preparing your king

Doesn't mean you're not already a Queen

Just because your situation doesn't seem to be progressing right now

Doesn't mean that you need to change a thing

Keep shining, keep running, keep hoping

Keep praying, keep being exactly what you already are

COMPLETE.

Have a great week.

Peace & Love

-Keeta :)

10.10.10

P.S. Dedicated to the Tiny Diva xoxo

Have a Fabulous Week!

Wishing you all a fabulous week, which even if it does get rough will cause you to gain more than you lose.

Peace & Love

-Keeta :)

Don't Wait for Your Flowers

Given some recent and not-so-recent happenings, I thought I'd dedicate this post to a few of my special girls. Keep at it ladies :)

** ** ** **

I've always framed my life from the perspective of an old Hollywood film. Perhaps a charming Technicolor musical like "Gigi" about a young free-spirited girl living in Paris played by Leslie Caron. Or a classic black & white like "Woman of the Year"starring Katharine Hepburn, where she plays an new-age independent woman living in New York.

I found myself thinking recently which one would apply more, if at all. Personally, I'm partial to Katharine Hepburn's character, Tess Harding, the quintessential empowered woman whose unique light attracted its own moths. However, I do find it difficult to resist the charms of the becoming-a-princess type of story like Gigi.

So why, Tess Harding the empowered feminist and not Gigi, the sweet, impressionable young girl? In recent times, we have still taken to waiting for what's perfect. Well if you're waiting on that, just know you better have an extremely comfortable seat because you'll be waiting a while. I've learnt not to overlook existing potential which can be tailored, to wait for something which may be fleeting. Like anything else in life that you may want, you may have to risk a limb, a few broken bones or a few exceedingly awkward/embarrassing moments to just go for it. If you're not successful and there aren't any adjustments to be made then.......you move on.

The lessons in acceptance and moving on come at different points in our lives, but all of them, though differing in the related circumstances, teach us new ways to make the best of a situation, accept it for what it is and go forward. Having been through a few of those, one of the important things I've learned thus far is it is important to find the closure you need. Once you have that closure, you can better appreciate that potential when you find it (even if it had always been there) and hopefully be able to tailor it to what you want.

And believe me you will know when you've struck gold, because you won't have to wait for your flowers ;)

Peace & Love

Keeta :)

03-Oct-10

The World Is Ending, Now What?

After almost 2 weeks of dealing with constant requests for following up and sorting out, from 8:30-5:00 Mon-Fri, I have come to one conclusion

Everything is a crisis.

I'm not the first person to have a take on this topic and I won't be the last, but here is the thing, by the time you read this you will probably have at least 5 crises of your own that you just now remembered because you read this (depending on how you look at things of course). In the past few days I have realised that we as humans have tried to do what the Lord himself would not, give us more than we can bear.

The last couple of posts I have written have really been from the control-freak aspect of myself which I have no doubt some of you share as well. And for good reason. However, it is from that very standpoint of being controlling, that I write this.

Ever since a major life-changing experience (not near-death I might add), I have realised that despite our very best intentions that we really can never do more than is humanly possible, yet we condemn ourselves to feeling daunted. So you may find yourself like Chicken Little today because the world is ending; what will you do?

While this world "ends" I have decided to exist from another. A whimsical world, invisible to others but where I may exist within some semblance of order and control, while maintaining my own peace of mind.

It is the bubble.

It is for the most intents and purposes impenetrable. It helps me to realize the more urgent "crises" from those less so and I may continue with what has become a consistent process of resolution.

I may seem crazy for saying this, but while I'm this bubble, with the madness that does and will persist, I am ironically, the only one who is not *chuckle*

Peace & Love
-Keeta :)

Finally I See

I don't think I've ever written anything along these lines but I thought I would share this with my faithful few; one of my favourite pieces.

Feel free to leave comments, as always :)

Finally I See

Long since have I been blind
Many things
Distant memories
Like dusty bats hidden at the back of caves
Long unexplored

When I saw
It was through closed eyes
And with curious fingers
Which spoke to lips
While he responded through same

And I knew it was not to be
Simply one dilated pupil to another
But his deep chords to my eardrums
And my breath to the skin of strong shoulders

While we interchanged
Between bear and honey
For suspended moments in time
And through closed eyes
Things clearer


Finally I see

20.07.09

Peace & Love
-Keeta :)

6 Steps To Feeling Daunted

Daunted. The word itself makes me wonder, if its a state that humans should even be able to experience. However, depending on your level of control-freakedness (pardon my constructed words) you very often or very rarely feel daunted.

Though I am prone to be very high-strung (something which in itself I am working on), I am very rarely daunted. Surprising even to me, considering... *chuckle* But in the past 2 weeks, I have been presented with a most daunting situation in the form of a new permanent assignment at work. So what to do? Put tail between legs, back out the room, run away like a maniac screaming? Well all of these things did cross my mind, however, I am no 'soffaz' (for the non-Jamaican folks, that means 'timid' in this context). The Browning got testicular fortitude, (in other words 'balls') so I took a moment to be truly and completely daunted (believe it or not you need to do that) and then I started to wrap my mind around things and applied the only control I could to the situation...

So here are a few suggestions for what to do when you feel daunted:
1. Tried and true words, DO NOT PANIC. You will only perpetuate that state. So keep calm, or get calm (if you are not predisposed to this) (u know what works for you) and move to step 2

2. Assess the situation. Now you can't really do this unless you are sufficiently calm and preferably not in the situation-causing environment. Once you do this...

3. Make your mental list i.e. What do I need to do? This is usually specific to the situation, however quite often the first thing you may need to do is get more information. Figure out the best person to get this from. Many times, it is our PERCEPTION of a situation that frightens us or causes apprehension and this is usually different from the REALITY to varying degrees.

4. If you've gotten the information you need, and good advice about how to proceed, surround yourself with things and people that will give and allow for you to keep up your positive energy. These will go a long way.

5. Realise that whatever it is that is making you the feel this way, can't last forever and nothing is set in stone. Being adaptable is a significant part of the 'battle'.

6. KEEP YOUR CHIN UP. Whether you're a star or a larger constellation, once you give some adequate thought-time to the situation, you would have done half of what you need to get through your resolution process.

Remember that being daunted will happen and like most things, will depend on how you react and adapt. Easier said than done, but like Alice from the newly released Alice in Wonderland (go see it; it is ideal considering this topic *wink*) has shown us impossible things are often quite opposite, so embrace your "muchness" and you'll be fine.

Peace & Love
-Keeta :)

The Simple Art of Reinvention

Hello my lovelies. It has been awhile since I've written a post. However, I have not been absent for fickle reasons. There has been a lot happening in these last few months and with them many ideas have run through my mind about what other small bit of wisdom I could impart to my readers and even to myself. Because, what is the point of experience after all if not to learn and grow.

A not-so-novel but no less epiphany causing thought hit me the other day. I heard someone say "I need to reinvent myself". Now in the literal sense this is not possible, you can't very well go back into the womb after all, however, when you think about how simple, and at the same time how complex, reinvention can be you realise that you owe it to yourself to do this.

Now, you might be thinking that I am suggesting a dramatic makeover (like Stacy and Clinton on TLCs "What-Not-To-Wear") however, I am referring to actions which, though related to Stacy and Clinton, are even simpler and take far less time. In fact some of these same things are things which you may do quite frequently (a haircut, wearing brighter colours etc.) but in order to consider them as reinvention it will require a change in your perspective. Essentially you need to appreciate actions as a chance to make things better.

Firstly it is important to think of reinvention, not necessarily as an act which will cause you to completely change direction in your life, but as something which will give a further push in the direction in which you are heading (provided it is a good one). What do I mean?
For example, when something that you may use everyday such as your cell phone stops working and you get it fixed, the feeling that things are moving along and you're back in your old groove is a part of that perspective to which I referred above. The broken part of you may be a small habit you've been trying to break, such as waking up late. Once you put the effort in changing your behaviour to "fix" your problem, and see the results (getting to work/school on time and being more productive), you will experience that feeling of new-found perspective.

Reinvention also refers to packaging yourself differently so you can appreciate yourself more. Take for example a friend of mine, Ms. V, who has spent the last few months working tirelessly to achieve additional physical fabulosity in the form of a smaller self. She has always been a beautiful woman, both inside and out, but after her achievement of losing weight she decided that it was time to take something good and make it better, by chopping off her hair. Now Jamaican people hate when persons with long hair have a drastic haircut and she was apprehensive about doing it but the results were amazing. And even if the haircut didn't come out as expected, the time she spent discovering what looks would work for her while the hair grew back would allow for her to gain even newer perspective. Even more important, is the fact that even though it was just a haircut, it gave her a little extra oomph.

And here is where a drastic change may also be beneficial as well. If you've always wondered if there is something you could be doing but aspects of yourself are holding you back from it, figure out what is the very first thing you will need to make this better. You'd be surprised to know that quite often you can start yourself off without any money, but simply armed with some information (which with the advent of the Internet is that much easier to obtain).

The simplicity of making a few small changes always adds new perspective to how you can change and make things better for yourself.

The trick is to start small and expand.

Peace & Love
-Keeta :)