The Ladybug

  "My ability to create is disclosed in my natural skills and talents. When I express my creativity at work, in art, writing, speaking, or by different methods, I am using my own personal assets in a setting of love and joy. The more I allow myself to be creative the more I realize the infinite potential that resides inside me.”                                                                                                                                                          -Darlena Swann

    “Although this year has been challenging, we still say and give thanks to God. Choose to find something to be grateful for instead of complaining about everything that went wrong. Having a spirit of gratefulness is powerful and uplifting. Choosing to be resilient and refusing to take the little things in life for granted. Make this year a season of thanks. Thanksgiving is about being thankful and giving thanks.”                                                                                                                    -Darlena Swann

                                                                                                           “Today, I understand the importance of having patience. Reaching my goals take time. There are important steps I must follow to complete assignments and not be in a hurry. I can avoid costly mistakes if I learn to be more patient. However, no matter what happens, I will take all the time and effort needed to reach my goals while making progress.”                                               ...

                                                                                               “Having hope means trusting that the desired outcome is possible. Today, I understand that every moment brings me additional opportunities and an open window to look through. Every moment is another open door for me to walk through. Everyday is new and filled with new encounters and every breath I take brings new expectation into my life.”                                                     ...

 

Freedom "Freedom is having a vision of economic equality and social justice for everyone regardless of ethnicity.   Freedom is having the right to be heard, to take action, and be fearless."                                                                                                                          -Darlena Swann

The Gratitude Jar "Gratitude is the act or expression of being thankful. Each day is filled with chances to pause for a moment of appreciation. In a fast-paced world of uncertainty, we often neglect to take the time to laugh, relax, to invest more time with family, co-workers, and friends, or to call someone to say, “Thank you.” Today, I give myself consent to appreciate every moment to savor the little things that warm my heart."                                                                                                                           -Darlena Swann

Roll the Dice The dice game is about rolling two pair of cubes across the surface of a board and hoping that the laws of probability will rule in your favor. Life can resemble a pair of dice. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. It’s that constant battle for survival. It’s a gamble. I can randomly play it safe within my comfort zone or option for radical change and be bold. There’s always a risk involved. However, despite what might happen there are endless conceivable outcomes. Today, my probability is to succeed the odds.

Compelled by Compassion "In our modern day society, there seems to be little room for compassion. We are suspicious of one another. We stray away from direct contact and interfering in other people's business. Contrarily, if we open our eyes, look around and observe that people are working hard not only to improve their own lives but the lives of others while making sacrifices. Perhaps, I can be an instrument of compassion. Just showing simple expressions of compassion can have an astounding power to heal and make an everlasting impression ."                                                                                                                -Darlena Swann

Unsettlement The heart wants to love yet we fight each other with unkindness and hate The heart wants to reason yet we are often ridiculed The heart wants stability yet we are unbalanced The heart wants to help yet we are selfish The heart wants to trust yet we are dishonest The heart wants to see the truth yet we are still blind The heart wants to hear yet we are mute The heart wants to be flexible yet we are rigid We must overcome the things that divide us apart and concentrate on what can bring us together.                                                                                                -Darlena Swann

Heart to Heart  "When you think of February, Valentine’s Day comes to mind. A time to celebrate love and friendship. It’s all about relationships. We all form relationships with our colleagues and in our own personal lives. Developing good relationships is enriching in so many ways. We have the opportunity to communicate our feelings towards each other. We can set aside the time to listen and sometimes be silent when necessary.   Creating solid relationships empowers us to give and receive feedback and to respect each other’s needs and ideas. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day this month, take a moment to appreciate all the heartfelt relationships in your life."                                                  ...

Let's Talk   We should talk until there are no more words to say We should clarify until the point that everything is understood We should be straightforward until nothing is kept in secret We should listen until everything has been said We should question with the objective that we want to know why If we don't communicate, we will never know the untold story                                                                                                  ...

Good Service  "Live a good life by serving others. It’s the unremembered acts of kindness shown to others that may go unnoticed from day to day. Helping others is a divine mission. Life is more meaningful when you give of yourself. Make an investment in serving others from the heart without expecting something in return."                                                                                                              -Darlena ...

New Year’s Resolutions “Many people make New Year’s resolutions. They seek to develop decisions to put an end to old habits, develop new ones or achieve goals that are important to them. Sometimes, we succeed in keeping our resolutions, but after the third or fourth month passes by, we set aside our good intentions and resume back to our old habits. Before making a resolution, we should evaluate our true motives and level of commitment to change. This year, let’s bring in the “new” and put an end to old habits.”                                                                            ...

Be Strong We become stronger when we pursue a better education for ourselves and for our children. We become stronger when we demand a safer and secure environment. We become stronger when we stand up for equal rights and justice. We become stronger when we choose to live a healthy lifestyle by taking better care of our bodies. We become stronger when we decide to live in peace and harmony with others even when we’re not accepted. We become stronger when we succeed at fulfilling our dreams by overcoming obstacles. We become stronger even when we fail because we learn from our experiences. Today, I will focus on something positive to draw strength from.                                                ...

A Fresh Start "Life starts today and anticipates tomorrow to developing, restoring, and starting once again. It’s not always  about what you've done or what you are, but instead it’s about what you’ll become truly matters. For yesterday is gone, today is here, and hopefully, there will be a tomorrow."                                                                                                                     -Darlena Swann

Whispers "Tune in to the whispers of your heart. Discovering who you truly are  isn't  that straightforward. It takes a while for the unnecessary distractions and chatter to settle down. In a moment of silence and absence of movement we begin to realize what we truly feel. If we listen and hear what is truly being offered, then at some point our intuition whispers back to us."                                                                                                               -Darlena Swann

Special Permission Permission to be less than perfect Permission to be bold and dared Permission to be uncertain even unprepared Permission to be beautiful both inside and out Permission to step outside the comfort zone and be different While experiencing doubt Permission to be outspoken or silent Permission to be compassionate and loved Permission to answer to God’s calling sent from above Permission to be creative Permission to make Permission to use these hands of clay to create Today, I choose to write my own permission slip instead of waiting for someone’s consent of approval.                                                            ...

My Opinion  “I can be right sometimes and perhaps I can be wrong. I don’t have to be right at all costs. I can let some things go, if I choose to. I have the flexibility of being right or being wrong. It’s just a point of view and learning to see things from a different perspective. Ultimately, I can win a battle but lose the war. So in any given situation I will try not to overwhelm myself with the need to be right all the time.”                                                                                          ...

Test Drive  "I have to live through my own experiences, examine the facts and form my own conclusions instead of relying solely on the opinions and judgments of others. In the final analysis, I must live according to my own values and principles. To do this I must continue on a journey to discover the truth. I’ve learned to listen to the opinions of others, but I base things on my decisions, values and experiences tested for myself."                                                                                          ...