Your Soul Is A Garden. Pruned It Today?
It’s 4:37AM.
I want to sleep in for an extra hour, so I’m up early, writing this to you. Hello Champion,
Success Is Many Things. It Isn’t A Gamble.
I’ll Explain Shortly.
It’s Possible To Be Prepared But Not Ready.
Being Prepared Is A Process Thing. Being Ready Is The “Good-To-Go” Feeling In The Moment Before Action.
You May Never Feel Ready, But You Can Be Prepared. You Can Stay Prepared.
My Father Said This To Us Every Day “Like The Boy’s Scout Motto Says “Be Prepared!”
One Of Such Ways To Prepare For Success Is By Training Your Human Nature.
Let’s Talk About A Natural Emotion Like Jealousy. Have You Experienced It Before?
In Case You’re The Saint, I Am The Sinner.
It’s Human To Be Jealous.
But That Doesn’t Suffice As Enough Excuse To Let Your Jealousy Control Your Actions.
I Remember Years Ago, While Waiting For Admission Into The University.
I Was The Last One Out Of All My Friends To Get It.
Every Time, I Would Receive A Call, “I Just Got Admission o.”
Last Straw That Should’ve Broken The Camel’s Back Was When The Last Person Out Of All 7 Of Us Called Me With The Same News.
Sincerely, I Was Excited For Her.
I Was Even More Excited That She Could Trust My Heart To Celebrate That Good News With Her.
But In A Corner Of My Heart Was A Wistful Longing. “What About Me?”
It’d Been 5 Years.
I Knew What That Longing Could Become.
So I Went On My Knees, Lay Spread Out On The Floor Of My Room, And Thanked God Profusely For My Friend’s Admission.
That Was The Day I Learned A Lesson On Curbing Envy.
You Know, I Could Have Let That Longing Become A Wound, And Let It Fester Into A Cancerous One, Spreading Into All Chambers Of My Soul.
But I Did Not.
Lesson 1: You Can Control Your Human Inclinations. I Used Gratitude To Prune Mine.
A Month Ago, I Uncovered A Discovery 😂
It Erupted In My Soul Like Some Big Bang Theory Thing. Shook Me At My Very Core.
But In The Midst Of The Turbulence Raging In My Heart, I Choose Two Things:
To Fix The Wrong.
To Be Kind.
I Could’ve Thrown A Tantrum.
I Could’ve Brought Down The House With Myself In It.
But I Sat Down And Put My Emotions Under My Thumb And Decided To Do What I KNEW Was Right.
It Meant Taking Responsibility For A Mess I Did Not Create.
It Meant Forgiving Wrong Actions Without Hating The Offenders.
It Meant Making Tough Decisions As A Leader.
I Couldn’t Do All That With My Emotions Running Amock.
Lesson 2: You Can Do What Is Right Even Under Pressure.
It Just Has To Be A Priority For You.
Last Week, Somebody Almost “Rained On My Parade” With Their Incompetence.
And They Did So With A Stupid Smirk Sitting Ugly In Their Remorseless Face The Entire Time.
What I Really Wanted To Do Was Reach Across The Table And Slap Them So Hard, They Would Fall Backwards.
Growing Up, I Had Rage Problems.
I Found Relief In Smashing Plates And Items When In A Temper.
The Relief Is Painfully Sweet.
But I’m An Adult Now. A Leader Too.
We Cannot Warm The Room By Setting The House On Fire.
In That Moment Of Intense Pressure And Anger, I Paused. Took A Deep Breath, And Smiled.
Then I Began To Troubleshoot.
Took Charge Of The Situation And Directly, Took Responsibility For The Actions Of The Other Person.
It Gained Me A Lot Of Regard.
“You Handled That So Well.”
And That Is How I Flipped A Disaster Into A Winning Moment.
Lesson 3: You’re Bigger Than Any Situation, Just By Choosing The Upper Hand.
Lastly, A Lesson On Patience.
I Was Given A Massive Opportunity For My Work.
I Involved People.
It Didn’t Go As Planned.
Communication Was Also A Challenge.
Oh, I Was Upset. I Was So Disappointed.
But What I Didn’t Do Was Take It Out On Anybody.
I Chose Instead, To Believe That Everyone Involved Was Doing The Best They Could Do, Given Their Distinct Circumstances.
And I Remembered The Respect I Have For The People Involved.
Plus Their Repeated Graciousness Afore Times.
I Chose These Relationships Over The Opportunity.
I Made Up My Mind That “It’s Okay. No Pressure.”
Whatever Happens, I’ll Accept It Graciously.
Just Learn Lessons And Create Allowance For More Plan B’s.
Lesson 4: Choose Your Battles With Wisdom.
The Culmination Of All These Experiences And Lessons I Have Shared With You Is The Reason I Get Entrusted With The Opportunities And Access I Have.
Imagine If I Was Just Talented And Intelligent, And My Character Was A Flaming Red Flag. When I Said “Success Is Not A Gamble,” I Meant That It Can Be Worked Out.
You Can Forecast It By Creating It.
In All Your Development, Develop Strength Of Character.
Let Hard Situations Shape You Into Someone Becoming.
In The Words Of Sir Edmund Hillary, “It Is Not The Mountain We Conquer, But Ourselves.”
It’s 5:30AM Now.
Time To Schedule This Writing And Return To Bed.
Have A Wholesome Day!
Yours Always,
The Talk Queen,
Neeta Rare