It has been AN ENTIRE YEAR since I was inspired to take on the challenge to start my "Year of Yes!" It has been AN ENTIRE YEAR since I said “YES” to the things that scared me, to include YES to Biblically Led Cornbread Fed! From time to time, throughout the year, I would revisit my Year of Yes to monitor my progress. I must say, I AM PRETTY DARN PROUD OF MYSELF.
Let’s check out my update on my 12 fears…
1. Yes to “me time”
This one is definitely a work in progress but I have gotten better within this year. I started with small changes and I have intentional worked my way up to having “me time” almost every day, even if it is just 15 minutes. Once I realized how great it felt to spend time with Tasha and be able to just bask in my own presence, the more I started to set dates with myself. I am more of a morning person so I start most days with “me time” doing my devotions, reading and writing, listening to sermons or podcasts, or just lying in the bed catching up on social media. Some days I used my morning time to do some BLCF work before I get up and start getting my children ready and head to my 9-5. I’ve noticed that working on my passion before work motivates me in so many ways. I now even coordinate with the sitter at the beginning of the week a day or 2 that I may need her so I can do something for myself instead of waiting until I FEEL I have time. Moral of the story is, now I MAKE TIME and plan “me time” just like anything else in my life so I can enjoy some much needed quiet/quality time with MYSELF. Also, I have been using the heck out of my Massage Envy membership that I told you I purchased last year. Massages have become a routine part of my life and they are not just set for “special occasions.”
Sis read more here:
2. Yes to Professional Development
I have been taking FULL advantage of my training subscription! No longer is mastering a task a finish line for me but the starting point to intentionally learn something new to gain another skill set. That girl who was secretly most afraid to become too talented and be given more responsibility and a higher expectation is no longer because she was honest with herself about her desire to move higher up the ranks and what it takes to get there. I strategize my training based on my current tasks and my futurejob. I take at least one class per quarter. For personal development, I am still going strong with Toastmasters to perfect my public speaking skills, which has helped me tremendously at work. Lastly, I no longer doubt my ability to take on projects and tasks due to the fear of not being qualified.
Sis read more here:
3. Yes to Healing Properly
Jesus has been pruning and plucking, bringing some things from my past back to my face, and making me face some things head on that I buried. I’ve been a praying, crying, and healing, growing, and glowing sister! The process started when I released my blog. Through sharing my testimony and writing blogs, I have been revisiting some things to give accurate accounts of how “God came through.” Some of those moments made me smile (that I made it through and seeing how much I’ve grown). On the flip side, I won’t lie, some have made “not so happy” because I didn’t think it would still hurt to revisit them. In the “Year of Yes” last year, I told you that numbers 11 and 12 symbolized the beginning of my healing. This year’s numbers 11 and 12 are proof of just how far I’ve come (and don’t skip to 11 and 12 to see what they are lol)!
Sis read more here:
4. Yes to Playtime
My kids and I have probably been having just a little too much fun… and I love it!! I am still an unmarried mom so I have no husband waiting for me and the kids to get home to help with everything that needs to be done between the times we get home in the evening to the time we lay our heads on the pillow at night. Although I still focus on not dropping the ball and making sure that we are prepared for the next day and everything in between before our bedtime routine, I focus on doing what I can and what I can control. This simply means I won’t focus so much on tomorrow that I can’t enjoy today. We have designated “playtime” in the evenings and I try my hardest to stick to it. If I am doing “me time” at the end of the day instead of the morning, we “play” before I wine down. I have truly worked on adjusting my mindset to “don’t worry about tomorrow for it will take care of itself” so I play TODAY!
Sis read more here:
5. Yes to “Stretch Me Out of My Comfort Zone” Work Projects
Now God showed out here! I started volunteering for jobs and training outside of my duty lane as a way to become a better-rounded employee. I welcomed the opportunity to sit in on a brief or presentation to learn more about what others at my job do as well. Most importantly, I went from being an achiever (working in my own strength) to a believer (trusting that God could and would do it). So that means when my boss gave me assignments that I did not think I could handle, I relied on God and His strength. It seems that when I started to adopt this motto, God elevated me. I was reassigned to a new and bigger team. It was a position I totally did not see coming and that I was highly recommended for, by my boss’ boss. I had no idea her boss was watching my work ethic, my new hustle, and the way I handled myself throughout this entire time, which is why he chose me for the position. I accepted although I was reluctant and, not only has it stretched out of my comfort zone with some of the duties, I have been DOING THE THANG! I receive compliments from my current boss all the time for the work that I do and how appreciative she is.
Sis read more here:
6. Yes to Surrendering “Super Mom”
Super mom? Who is that? I don’t know that lady LOL. I do still have my mommy moments that, if I am not too involved, it makes me feel I am surrendering my title and responsibility as mom. I also still have a guilty moment or two where I sentence myself accordingly causing me not to enjoy my time away from them because of the obligation of still being “mom.” However, I have been saying YES YES YES to my village. We were always told it takes a village to raise a child. Although I am the Chief of the Mommy Village (when it comes to my own children) I trust my Indians to do their job in the village. Mommy has been traveling, getting “me time”, taking myself to dinner just because, and taking time away to work on some of those awesome collaborations that I mentioned. It has empowered me to another level and guess what… my children are still fine! My village is awesome!
Sis read more here:
7. Yes to Less Work and More Play
I have been saying YES to some invitations this year! It actually shocks me how much I have said yes to. Get – togethers, happy hours, play dates, girl talk, partnership strategy sessions, entertainment, etc, I have definitely been more social. I have been meeting new people and learning the area. I am happy to say I have made new connections, networks, and now local associates (some that have turned into friends and prayer warriors). No longer do I decline those many invitations like I am just so busy and I stopped using the kids as an excuse.
Sis read more here:
8. Yes to Getting My “before kids” Body Back
That gym membership I paid for, for almost a year and a half but I could probably count on 1 hand the number of months I have constantly gone, I went back. I went back to the gym, I hired a trainer, I fell off, and got back on it again. The biggest thing is I am always doing some form of physical activity now. Whether I am dropping into a workout class at the gym, jumping into a group exercise activity that’s happening around the city, intentionally working out with my trainer, hopping on my elliptical at home for 20 minutes, or just doing yoga at home in my bedroom before work... I have incorporated different activities into my life. The most important thing is, though, I have changed my mindset! This has become more of a “I’m doing this to get in a better physical state” approach than I am just trying to lose weight. It makes me feel great overall too.
Sis read more here:
9. Yes to Accepting My Life Where it is Now
OMG! I have grown so much in this area. I went from a season of striving to a season of living. I still have a few definite things on my list that I am waiting for God to bring to pass; however, I have shifted my mentality to a Matthew 6:33 mindset for real. At first this scripture appeared to be just a little bit to holy for me LOL. On the contrary, I have learned that it is what gets your through sis! I have been so focused on seeking what God wants for me, doing what He calls me to do, and living in the moment. This has created a truly grateful attitude and outlook. I still have my moments where I may think about the big title at work, the money and time (finances and time off work) to vacation when I want, my own business for residual income, the husband, etc. On the contrary, I remind myself that God is working it all out in the background while I continue to say YES. I feel the more I give Him my YES, the more these opportunities get me closer to my desires. I adopted the word EXPECTANCY for 2019.
Sis read more here:
10. Yes to Collaborations
Spiritual and creative partnership was the newest and most exciting YES for me this year. I’ve always been a bit of a creative and spiritual loner—preferring to go hide away in isolation with my own ideas and questions, and then emerging into public only when my projects are complete. I’ve started joining forces on some wonderful collaborations. From guest blogging, to speaking engagements, to hosting events, and working on projects, I have been joining forces with some amazing and inspired women. I am working on a big one now and YES it frightens me but I still said YES!
Sis read more here:
11. Yes to Transparency and Vulnerability
Whew! This one is still a work in progress. However, throughout this year I have released several blogs that go outside of my “old school keep people out of my business” code. I’ve opened up in many ways in my blogs. Moreover, instead of having the super crazy thought that I am super amazing and can fix it all on my own, I rely on God more. In doing this, I have been attempting to be obedient in what He tells me to do when He tells me to do it. Instead of me having the "You can believe rumors and make up stories of what you think I am going through and how I got to wherever you think I am all day BUT you WON’T hear it from ME!!!” type, I have become more of the “let me let you hear it from me so you can know how I got through so you can know this is not going to kill you sis!” type of woman! Modern woman of faith is what I like to call it! I still push forward with the #ImImperfectToo Movement (we are all imperfect trying to perfect ourselves through Christ) and I have taken the meaning of carrying another woman’s (person as it says in the Bible) burden to a whole other level. You don’t really know the impact of your work until it is in the hands of other people. In just this one year alone, I have received so many messages, calls, emails, comments, etc about how me sharing my testimony has made another woman’s burden a little lighter to carry!! For that, I am grateful and super motivated to keep sharing!
Sis read more here:
12. Yes to What God Told Me to Do
As you know, God told me a year ago that I needed to use my talents— writing and speaking— for His purpose. What did that entail for me? Sharing my testimony! On May 12, 2018, I took everything I started behind the scenes (professional designed logo, the strategy and plan, the website, the many blogs I had written… and JUST HAVEN’T LAUNCHED! It FRIGHTENED THE HECK OF ME but I said YES TO MY BLOG. Today I celebrate the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY of Biblically Led Cornbread Fed. It’s been a year of lessons, new friendships and partnerships, speaking gigs, and GROWING!!! I was obedient. I did it and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be giving God a blank canvas to work with!
Sis read more here: