Today my mind kept pondering on one thought….”I wonder how America’s response to this pandemic will be documented in history books.”
I mean we are directly in the midst of a pandemic and America basically said enough playing it safe, we have to re-open, we must re-open! Covid-19 cases are continuing to rise and social distancing is becoming non-existent.
No vaccine, no documented way of slowing the spread beside staying put and all 50 of the United States of America are in some variation of the re-opening phase.
Personal thoughts aside, it’s happening. I just wonder how we’re going to look on the other side of this. When the federal government initially predicted 100k deaths everyone was like what, wow, why would they say that but last time that I checked, we were at 96k. Not too far from 100k. I guess WuTang Clan called it in 1994, when they said, “Cash Rules Everything Around Me!”
I say all of this to remind you to journal. You should definitely document this period in time and document your personal thoughts. It’s a great way to release tension and also to reflect on current events.
Some of the greatest solutions are developed after the fact. So grab your pen & notebook and be sure to journal. Â
I’ve added a journal to my product offering and I would love for you to purchase one. Head over to my site: www.melissaarivers.com/products and grab your Origins of Peace Journal.
As a forty-something female professional, there are habits that you can implement or release that will boost your professional self-confidence and empower you to trust yourself more.
If you’ve been in your current position for an extended period of time, you may feel underwhelmed and uninspired. It may be difficult for you to focus on your work and deliver your absolute best. Unless you work for yourself or you operate the family business, this can be a real problem. Depending on who’s watching, you could find yourself in a situation where management doesn’t feel like you take your responsibilities seriously. If you work for yourself and fail to deliver a stellar product, you could appear as an amateur to those you conduct business with.
When I returned to work after recovering from cancer, I was my biggest critic. I felt insecure about my appearance and I didn’t feel on top of my game because personal development and professional training had taken a back seat to my recovery. I was also well over 40 and the corporate workplace was now flooded with Millennials!
Upon returning, there were several things that I did to boost my confidence. Today I am sharing 3 of my signature tips that will help you operate from a place of grace instead of a place of constant hustle.
The objectives are to be more polished, to trust yourself more and to feel good about who you are!
Develop and implement a morning routine.
Wake up early, spend time in prayer, affirm what you want and meditate on the good, positive situations that you are welcoming into your day.
Release actions that are unnecessary.
If you’re a woman who constantly apologizes even when situations do not warrant an apology, Stop. Over apologizing makes it appear that you are unsure you belong in the room. When these feeling arise (ImposterSyndrome) remember; you did the work to be in the room and grace elevates you further than effort ever will, Receive It.
Remain Inspired.
If you’re not excited by your work, find inspiration in the daily details. Examine your partnerships, goals, expected outcomes and even your clothing and accessories to find inspiration. I recently found inspiration in a pair of beautiful, hand-crafted earrings which where created by Angelique Car, owner of tha dak brand.
Check out these beauties!
Are you inspired yet!?!
I’m inspired by the collaboration and individuality of the materials that were used. Each element has a specific purpose and performs a distinct role in the overall design. These earrings simply make me happy and that’s exactly what our clothing and accessory choices should do.
Here’s what Angelique has to say about her designs:
“Each pair of earrings are unique and one of a kind. I allow my creative wave to do it’s thing in the moment. Sometimes I come up with designs that really show what my mood was at that time. I feel like that’s what makes them so special, they are genuinely made with a little soul and a lot of life! I am at a very happy place in my life right now, and I am grateful that I can birth something that allows me to share that with the world.”
I can’t help but think about the individual gifts and talents that women posses. We are strong, resilient, tender and creative all at the same damn time.
At any given point we have the flexibility and ingenuity to pull from those resources to accomplish our goals and to create something beautiful. When opportunities arise for us to combine our gifts with the gifts of the next woman, we can come together and make a beautiful masterpiece, just like those earrings!
As promised, I have one more bonus tip for you.
BONUS – Find your passion and cultivate it.
Peace is my passion. With my passion I choose to teach conflict resolution strategies to women that provide guidance for mental clarity, self-preservation and service to others. I also create courses that empower women to trust themselves more! This is my passion and how I use it. To discover your passion, grab my e-book; Design Your Happy Track To Peace and schedule a Consultation so we can chat!
If you are interested in learning more about Angelique and her upcoming fall collection, check her out on Instagram at: @thadakbrand or shoot her an Email at thadakbrand@gmail.com. You can also find her on Facebook at: tha dak brand.
If you’re a female business owner or simply a female with a positive and uplifting message to share, let’s link up! I would love to feature you on my blog and learn more about what you’re up to.
Starting the New Year with renewed perspective. “It’s not always about what you do. Oftentimes it’s about how you do it.” Here’s to a year of saying yes to yourself and no to what you simply don’t want to do.🎉
” We carry the message in many small, subtle, but powerful ways. We do our own-recovery work and become a living demonstration of hope, self-love, comfort and health. These quiet behaviors can be a powerful message.” – The Language of Letting Go (Melody Beattie)
The best way to make an impact on others is to be a living demonstration of the message you want to communicate.
Many talk about self-love in public but fail to demonstrate it in their private lives.
A thorough self-love routine can include pampering and relaxation but more importantly it should involve setting boundaries, making time for self and doing things that promote positive mental and physical health.
Setting boundaries is how we demonstration our love of self to others. If we’re constantly saying yes, over-extending ourselves and repeatedly putting the needs of others ahead of our own, we’ve failed to establish necessary boundaries in our lives. The problem with always being available and always saying yes is that you eliminate time to be still and self-evaluate. If you’re constantly chasing everyone else’s needs you could miss those internal signals that alert you when things are going wrong internally.
The best way to set personal boundaries is to ask yourself a few questions?
How can I peacefully co-exist with myself?
How can I balance my desire to help others with my obligation to care for myself?
How can I make the most impact in the shortest amount of time?
Answering these questions will help you create an action plan to lead a more balanced life.
Prayer: Today I am thankful for a balanced life. I am thankful for opportunities to serve others and myself. I acknowledge quiet moments of reflection and I value the self-love and empowerment contained in those moments. Thank you for opportunities to release co-dependency and to embrace self-love. By doing this I will be of greater service to myself and others.
My name is Melissa Rivers and I am a Peace Coach. My mission is to help entrepreneurs and individuals manage conflict, make brave choices and take action to achieve their goals. I’ve been in business for myself for nearly four years and I’ve successfully helped dozens of clients achieve their own personal measure of success.
Like many others, I’ve made some pretty lofty goals for 2019. The most important one for me is to do more of what I love.
I think after my divorce, cancer, job loss and a handful of other setbacks, my focus shifted from hope and expectation to survival. Survival is necessary but there has to be a healthy balance between obligation and enjoyment.
My obligation for 2019 is to show up for myself and to do the work for my clients. Enjoyment for me comes in the form of writing & blogging. There’s definitely more of that coming this year.
So, I will end this year with a declaration: I make room for intentional enjoyment in my life!
Here’s to a year filled with bold, confident and powerful prayers. Intentional declarations of progress, growth and opportunity. Resources to be a blessing to others and invitations that will set you in the presence of Kings and Queens. May your focus be consistent and intentional, may your actions be deliberate and kind, may your opportunities be often and abundant. May you find peace in all you search for and may you empower the good in yourself, others and life. Release anything that no longer serves you, add all things that give you positive vibes and love!
We are exactly three months into the new year and it’s time for a quick check-in to see how you’re doing on your goals and if it’s time for some re-adjustments.
I pray that things are going well for you and that Peace is still your top priority.
At the top of the year I set some pretty lofty goals for myself. I am on a mission to achieve Peace in several areas of my life. My strategy plan includes goals for my health, my career, my spirituality and my relationships.
I am happy to report that I am making strides in all areas. So far I’m down 12 lbs. I’m gaining clients in my business, my prayer life is terrific and best of all, I’m getting gold stars for being the “coolest ex ever!” I’m happy to report that I’ve let go of some grudges and sprinkled some forgiveness on a few situations!
So how’s it going for you. Are you making strides and working toward your goals or are you at a stand still.
If you’re stuck, let me help you get back on track. If you’re really ready to start crushing goals peacefully, contact me today.
Do yourself a favor and show “No Love” to feelings of loneliness and depression this Valentine’s Day. So what if you’re not in a relationship or you’re unable to spend time with your significant other. Today is the perfect day to show love to yourself and do things that you enjoy doing. Better yet, take time to do something nice for someone else.
Maybe you won’t be able to have a romantic meal with your sweetie, but you can surprise a friend, family member or someone else by paying for their lunch.
Maybe you’ve been waiting for the perfect day to take off work and enjoy some “me” time. There’s no better time than the present. Take a mental health day and enjoy it!
Personally, I love to listen to old songs on my record player and enjoy a nice glass of wine.
The options are limitless as to what you can do today. Whatever you do, do it well and enjoy the experience!
I hope that your holiday season was filled with love, light and peace! I appreciate you hanging out here with me on the blog in 2016 and I am hopeful that 2017 will bring awesomeness for everyone!
My focus for 2017 is to have a more Interactive blog. I would love to receive your thoughts, comments and questions on the content that is posted each week. For that reason you will see more of a variety going forward. The topics will still focus on peace building and conflict resolution but instead of taking the informational approach, I would love to hear your thoughts on various issues that are important in community.
There’s no better time than now to be involved in problem solving and peace building in our own communities. Our family, friends and even ourselves are going through so many different issues that collaboration is necessary if we expect to overcome.
Each week you can expect motivational quotes, a focal word of Peace and a blog post from me. Hopefully in return I will receive your thoughts and comments on the topics.
Who knows…we may even come up with the perfect solution to someone’s pressing issue.
Okay, so this week’s Peace Word is: Integrity. How do you feel about it? Do you think it’s been lost in today’s society? Do people still value integrity?
I personally feel that a person without integrity is out here lost. Without morals, standards and principles we’re being solely guided by feelings and we all know that feelings are full of unexpected surprises!
So here’s a snapshot of my 2017 Vision Station. The upper board is used to illustrate the goals that I want to accomplish in the upcoming year. I prefer words overs pictures so that I am free to imagine myself completing the goal as I see fit. Pictures tend to stifle my creativity and don’t exactly give me the motivation that I need.
The lower board is my interactive space. This is where I post my objectives, resource list, action plan, focus word and theme song. I also have a folder to capture ideas and notes. In the past I created separate boards for my business and personal goals but my Career Confidence Coach, Kandis Webb helped me to realize that the two should be conjoined. As an entrepreneur, I am the face and brand of my business. It’s only right that I incorporate those terrific, quirky and unique qualities about myself into my business model.
Same goes for you.
So what’s the point of a ‘theme song?” It’s a proven fact that music stimulates the create thinking process. While you’re being magnificent and churning out new ideas, you need a song that resonates with you. I chose 2 for 2017. The song Unfamiliar by Common is awesome. I absolutely love this song. It reminds me to be open and receptive to the unfamiliar because great opportunities, relationships and partnerships often show up when you least expect it. My 2nd song is Location by Khalid. I love, love, love it! That one line when he says, “What’s the Move and I Got You,” reminds me to be spontaneous and open to new adventures.
I chose to tackle my fitness goals first. I was ready and there was no point in putting it off. I began training with @sakinareneefit on December 20th. In two weeks I’ve dropped a pant size and gained lots of energy!
Wanna know what goal I may struggle with a little?
 (ex-spouse)
To get to a state of cool may take me awhile but I’m working on it! ( don’t judge me)
Now the only thing left for you to do is decide that you’re ready to gain focus, clarity and most of all Peace in manifesting your 2017 goals.
Positioned for Peace: Your Action Plan For A Peaceful Lifestyle in 2017 is available throughout the month of January for your employees, community group, ministry, social club or group of friends. The workshop includes a PowerPoint, worksheets and team building exercises. You provide the location and I’ll provide the expertise.
I’m ready to share what I know. Are you ready to receive? Contact me today!
Today officially marks my business anniversary. I’ve been in business for myself for 1 year today! I can honestly say that it has been an adventurous and humbling experience. I am excited about the things that I’ve been able to accomplish but I am well aware that I have much more work to do. I still have a LONG way to go in creating a steady flow of business and clients but it is very rewarding to know that I am building a legacy from the ground up that will hopefully one day provide a necessary and undeniable service to others.
CHEERS!Â
One the other side of every blessing is a challenge. There have been many aspects of owning a business that have been tough. Sometimes things haven’t always panned out as I had hoped and personal challenges have led to lengthy distractions.
Today I am sharing with you one of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned thus far.
“As an entrepreneur, if you don’t show up for your self, no one else will show up either.”   ~Melissa Rivers
I am what you call a soloprenuer. I open and close the store, I am maintenance and janitorial, accountant and timekeeper, product developer and facilitator as well as;Â visionary and laborer.
For the past year, I’ve handled all of these positions on my own. Although I feel capable and empowered to do them all, I believe that I’ve been hindered in some ways by taking on so many responsibilities.
You can’t possibly be as creative and engaging while you’re tending to all the organizational needs.
Do yourself a favor by creating a system of processes and sticking to them. Do all the normal things like be organized, work diligently and take a lunch break. While you’re doing those normal things incorporate some of the more tedious tasks such as creating a solid business plan, a marketing plan and an evolving financial plan.
Business and personal finances should never mix and if you work from a home office make sure you WORK from it. Don’t take your laptop to your bedroom or to the kitchen table. Utilize that office space!
Since it’s my anniversary, I’m feeling really generous. Let me share one more tip of advice to my fellow business owners or those up and coming. This small piece of advice can make or break your company.
You must NETWORK!
Get out and socialize amongst others who are doing the things that you do and those who share your same or similar interest. Don’t be afraid to join professional clubs, meetup groups or community organizations. Networking is necessary for mental and creative stimulation. Also, it is very important to hire a coach. You need a business coach and a financial coach. You cannot be the mastermind and the shopper all at the same time. It just won’t work.
Lastly, I want to share with you our new, official logo! I am so excited to have worked with Ryan Johnson of PMD Designs on this masterpiece! It incorporates solutions, unity, connectedness, diversity and compromise. Shoot me an email and let me know what you think about it.
I thank you all for trusting me in your inbox each week. I appreciate the comments, feedback and always on time encouragement. I am hopeful that things will only get better from here.
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 (ex-spouse)
