“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” Deuteronomy 5:8
~Nikki
Tag: inspire
Keep It Real
Keep it real! Real Strong! Real Kind! Real Humble ! Real Proud! Real Loving! Real Compassionate! Real Understanding! Real Poilite!
~Nikki
Hostile Work Environment
Monday Work Force: One thing I know for sure, a hostile work environment is not something you are suppose to endure for a long period of time. It will make you stronger but, it can also harden your heart and make you bitter. It can disturb your health. It has to change (even if you have to be the positive change) or you have to move. I remember working at a very large and prestigious computer repair company and I had a manager who didn’t like me from day one because he said I thought I could do whatever I wanted to do. You see, he didn’t understand my favor. I told him “You will be moved before I will. Trust me. I have seen God move folks that didn’t like me that were trying to disturb my peace.” Sure enough he was moved. However, I have seen God move me from a hostile environment because it affected my health. I knew I had to go because my peace of mind was everything. And even on that job my coworkers and I endured some hostile people. We formed a circle and prayed and they were removed plus we were given the wisdom and strength to deal with it until they were removed. I don’t put up with hostile environments period on the job. I came to work, enjoy my coworkers, make money and go home. I certainly don’t put up with it at home. And if I have to be in one I get in there, do what I came/come to do and go home.
~Nikki
Confetti Quotes
On Your Rise, Get Set, Go!
The sun travels around the earth giving light to the good, the bad, and the ugly. Some are so entrenched in evil and negativity they hardly recognize the light they are given (mostly because evil loves the night or better put, negative people love to stay in dark thinking). As you make a decision to rise in your life to a higher level, higher way of thinking you will no doubt encounter those that hate your light. They can’t wait until you shut up, sit down, and be quiet. They can’t wait to bring the kill joy to your good news. Note:Darkness is always trying to edge out light. Just know they are no match for shine!!! As you circle the earth you will be giving light on the good, the bad, and the ugly. See it and keep shining. You’re in rotation. On your rise, get set, and go!!!!
~Nikki
Epic Failure? No Problem.
An epic fail is an accelerated course on how to get it right the next time. It’s like you learn what not to do, what to do, what to do better in a few weeks verses a year or years. An epic fail can create epic success. I’m going to keep creating.I’m going to keep speaking my mind without hurting or harming others but always with the intent to inspire and heal. I am going to keep being me with the open mind that I always need improvement and that I am wrong sometimes. Do your work without the spot light, without the support of others, without the fan fare, without the glitz and the glamour, and the light will shine in perfect timing and it won’t be 15 minutes of fame. When God, the Creator of the Universe’s glory shines upon you it’s eternal.And it ain’t nothing “they” can do about it. -Nicole Jackson
~Nikki
Sunday Morning Coffee Musing: Don’t Crowd Fund Your Self Esteem
It’s not possible you would know everyone who walks along a crowded street or those standing with you at a concert. Crowd funding consists of strangers and a few people you know contributing to your cause or project. It’s not likely those people know you from the eyes of a good friend or the perspective of a wonderful family member. So, in this life why do we seem to crowd fund our self-esteem? I know I am guilty of this from time to time but, oh I remember the days where I relied heavily on the opinions of others and even sought-after validation. Thank God! Thank God because I did the hard work and made it through the mistakes to get to this point to talk to you, unashamed, about crowd funding your self-esteem.
What people don’t understand about those who struggle with self-esteem issues is it didn’t start yesterday. They also don’t understand the complex journey it takes to go back in your life and discover where the seeds were planted and the hard work it takes to cut the roots of low self-esteem. Crowd funding your self-esteem is when you rely on the contributions of others’ opinions to fund how you feel about yourself. You should cancel this fund raiser (thought) each time it pops in your mind. I could go through a bunch of steps on how to do this but there is this one saying that sums it up and you could tape it to your forehead or mirror. Whichever is more fashionable for you!
The quote is: Comparison is the thief of joy-Theodore Roosevelt
Why are you sad now? Why are you feeling defeated now? Why are you feeling bad about yourself now? You just compared your progress, success, where you are, to someone else’s progress, success, how farther they are in life than you are and now your joy has been stolen by comparison. Stop that. Learn to admire others and set your OWN goals. If June buys a million-dollar home don’t try to buy a million-dollar home simply to measure your success by June’s. Look at your bank account, do the math, and buy what you can afford. If Courtney just ran her first marathon and you just made it running a mile, how UNFAIR is that to compare yourself? Your diligence and her diligence are simply diligence. I tell you “a truth” as Jesus said in the Bible when he was about to introduce a new concept: If you learn to CELEBRATE YOUR VICTORIES AS WELL AS OTHERS you wouldn’t need to crowd fund your self-esteem.
Don’t compare yourself with others. Instead, celebrate yourself and others.
~Nikki
Kanye-ing Anxiety
There are times in life when we will face some really difficult situations which can cause us to “worry” or to become “concerned” about the outcome. Anxiety is a perpetual worry and concern. It can come like a flood seemingly out of nowhere or it can come immediately when something foreseen or not begins to manifest right before our eyes. And many times it may never manifest or at least not to the full degree we allow ourselves to imagine. It is when our active imagination takes us out in the deep where we lose sight of the shore of hope and faith. We are no longer anchored to the shore. We are floating out on a sea of shaky thoughts. We become “see” sick by the things we imagine will happen.
I ran across this quote and I had this thought: “Oh, it’s like Kanye-ing thoughts which create anxiety.” Imagine anxiety with a mic and you run up on stage and say “Look, I’m not going to give the mic back. However, I would like to thank the Creator for all that I have. I am grateful for life. I am thankful for the breath I breathe. I am thankful for the clothes and shoes I have. I am happy I can see, walk, talk and taste the food I have. I am so very grateful for the lessons I am learning….” You know blah blah blah good stuff until Anxiety walks off the stage and has a seat.
In many cases it’s rude to interrupt but, it’s perfectly fine to interrupt negative thoughts and “what ifs” that create and build up negative emotions that send you into anxiety rap battles also know as anxiety attacks. I remember reading a book by Inyanla Vanzant that stated “If you are going to play the “what if” game, play the other side.” In other words, what about “what if” it doesn’t happen? Instead, use your imagination to create solutions and calm. Also, if you play the what if game, then ask yourself what can I do if that does happen. I know it’s not easy. I know from experience. However, it’s worth cutting off negative thoughts or anxiety and filling your mind with gratitude instead.
~Nikki
Mars in Retrograde. My Bad.
Sunday morning coffee musing:
Yesterday was a pretty good day. I spent the evening with my daughter and friends at a free concert at The Levitt Shell. It’s a free concert series in Memphis,TN that starts in the summer and lasts until October. Everything was great until…
My temper suddenly had a flashback to a time where I had no restraint. Out the blue (though they tell me there’s no such thing as out the blue…meh), I had two things that seemed to set me off:
1. A lady in traffic.
2. Neighbors parking in my PAID parking space without asking!!!!
Oh when I tell you I lost it…I lost it. When I finally settled into bed I had to ask myself what is wrong with you? Is it the moon? Planets out of whack? Are you really upset about something else? What are you so angry about? What’s with this irrational behavior?
A friend suggested I needed to ground myself. I did. But, the logic in me needed an answer to the why. I don’t know much about astrology (just about zodiac signs) as it relates to charts, but I found it interesting Mars is in retrograde (had to find out what that meant then it became ah ha! Interesting!). Basically, it could be the cause of my irrational behavior and outburst. However, being a Christian I could just blame the devil. Logically, I’m taking responsibility for my actions/responses but, I needed to know why. Psychology tells me perhaps subconsciously I was tired and already bubbling with irritability. All I needed was something, anything to tick me off. Oh, and don’t forget, I created these circumstances with that undercurrent of low level energy.
Breathe. I don’t need to know why. I need to release the need to know why (this time) and move on into the new day I have been given. There is no pressure from the Creator to be perfect all the time. Only the strong suggestion to be mature. To grow…continuously. My response in both situations wasn’t mature, but taking responsibility for my irrational behavior and response was. Win-win.
~Nikki
Rising Fear, Rising Faith
I live in a city where senseless and violent crimes take place daily. I live in a city where educational programs are often squandered and where politics lean towards the influence of the wealthy. This produces fear, anger, and flight. This produces arguments and lethargy.
Now factor in raising children, health problems, unemployment, starving artists, underpaid teachers and overpaid leaders, aging parents, debts, low paying jobs, past catching up, uncertainty about the future, marriage, divorce, single life and dating, finances, careers, family matters… You’ve got a whirlwind of fear dancing about your mind, body, and spirit. Torture. Did I say whirlwind? I meant a category 5 tornado.
Where do you stand? (Stand Nikki? I’m laying down and taking a nap. I’m drinking. I’m chain smoking. I’m overeating. I’m not eating. I’m confrontational. I’m not doing anything. I’m not sleeping.) Let me rephrase, “How do you stand?” I heard an intelligent being say, by the name of Nicole Jackson, “Rising fear is met with a rising active faith.” I love to be the bearer of good news. So, in other words “You have to meet fear with action! A faith that DOES SOMETHING. FAITH IS AN ACTION WORD.”
All of the knowledge/wisdom you’ve absorbed from the Creator, Shamans, Priests, Gurus, Ancestors, Life, etc. It’s time to use it. Prayer and meditation is a two way conversation between you and the universe (known to many buy God, Creator, Divine, etc.) Let prayer and meditation pour into you instructions you need “for such a time as this.” Perhaps this is new to you. You maybe a young adult. Listen, wisdom is all around you. It’s in your parents, grandparents, mentor, your beliefs, a book, mistakes, this blog. It’ll come to you Young Jedi.
Have no fear. Instead, activate your rising faith.
~Nikki
Nikki's Confetti Life 