First off, I want to send prayers for the people of Brussels and all of Europe in the wake of the Brussels Terror Attacks.

I believe that as a nation, the American people have slowly and over time, lost confidence, as has the entire world since the war on terrorism began with 9/11. Sadly, we have became a nation of wusses. Even several government officials have grown afraid to speak out against terrorism and also discourage others from speaking out, all in the name of Political Correctness. I feel that this country is no longer the country that my dad once served.

Twenty years ago, people did not care about being politically correct. If there was a wrong, we spoke out against it and no one blamed us. However, nowadays, it is considered politically incorrect to speak out against ISIS and other extremist groups and call them what they are…terrorists.

Where has our courage gone? Since when did we became too chicken to call a spade a spade? I ask because I have been on this earth close to forty-five years and never in my life have I seen so many scared and confused people.

The entire world is being bullied by these extremist groups, yet leaders of not only our country but of nations around the world choose to try and tip toe around these killers for fear of offending them. These animals kill our countrymen- our sons, daughters, parents, brothers, and sisters; yet it is getting more and more taboo to speak against them or their evil acts.

Therefore, my position is this: A bully can never be appeased no matter how much people may tell the person what they want to hear and creep around him/her. I’ll say it again! One cannot appease a bully! And any attempts to try will only embolden the bully to come back for more because people who are evil are never satiated!

The only way to subdue a bully is to confront them head on. Only then, will the bully go away. That’s what America and the entire world must do- confront terrorists, speak out against these people and do something about them. Bullies thrive on FEAR and terrorist groups are no different. ISIS, as well as any other extremist groups, are bullies and it’s time to take them by the horns!  While doing so, we must also realize that it may get worse before it gets better and get prepared for it. However, we must also press on and never give into fear.

We may never fully cleanse the world of these monsters, but perhaps if we take back our “testicles” and stand up, maybe we can lower the frequency of these terror attacks, mass shootings, and other incidences which have cost millions of innocent lives.

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read my posts. Wishing you a very happy and prosperous week.

You can have all the determination in the world and work like a dog but without confidence, you are just spinning your wheels. Because determination without it equals desperation and desperation comes from a spirit of lack.

When one is unsure and insecure, it is a proven fact that this person will not perform as well at school or work. Confidence equals great performance, equals success, equals even MORE CONFIDENCE than before!

A winning attitude is key to having success in any area of life. Having faith in yourself can also get you through tough times. One of my favorite speakers is Zig Ziglar and he talks about “Stinkin Thinkin” and the damage it can do to self esteem. So turn this “stinkin thinkin” into thoughts of success, gratitude, and happiness and watch every area in your life take a turn for the better…like magic!

However, once confidence is achieved, it must be maintained. There will be failures but remember. Failure is the predecessor of success. You will always make mistakes. No one is perfect nor all knowing. Instead of beating yourself up over some error you made, look for the lesson that this error was meant to teach you. Also, search for the positive in the mistake.

When someone tells you that you can’t, pay them no mind. Others can steal your morale if you let them. It is not easy to be yourself and stay sure when surrounded by others, who either constantly hurl jabs and insults your way, or who just do not believe you can be successful. However, you must hold on to your confidence even if you have to give yourself pep talks several times daily. Adverse things will happen, people will hurt you, it is just a part of life. To feel hurt, anger, or sadness is normal and expected when something negative happens. As I said in my last post, there will be times in life when you will not feel confident. Adversity will happen and throw you off kilter. The difference is that when you have confidence, you will bounce back more quickly and are less likely to dwell in an awful place.

Having been bullied during my tweens and teens, I once was very insecure and had a horribly negative outlook. It took a lot of reprogramming in order to take back my confidence. It was the hardest thing I ever did in my life. It is easy to change certain things about yourself but changing your thought patterns, especially after you have been conditioned to think a certain way, is one of the hardest feats to accomplish and most certainly does not happen overnight. Negative thought patterns can take years to change completely.

However, once you start, little by little, you will see a positive difference in not only your outlook, but also the circumstances that come into your life. You will begin to feel confident and the more confidence you have, the more momentum you will have behind it.

Always keep that momentum going and you will be on the right path for the rest of your life. With confidence and a winning smile and attitude, you can achieve beyond your wildest dreams!

God commands the Universe to always give you what you ask for. Through our thought patterns, we unconsciously ask for what we get, good or bad. By sending a certain vibe out you always get the same in return. If you are negative, you are unwittingly asking for more negativity to come into your life. But if you are positive, confident, happy and at peace then you are asking for more of the same and it shall be given. So keep showing your pearly whites and smile from the heart! I once heard Zig Ziglar talk about a spirit of gratitude.  Counting your blessings and being thankful are the fastest ways to turn any negative into a positive and with it comes confidence. He was right!

I would like to recommend a few good books to read as I believe that you have to love to read in order to love to write. And I love to curl up to a good book! I am still finding my way around WordPress and will post links as soon as I learn how. Have a blessed day!

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” By Dale Carnegie

“Into the West” by S.J. Sass.

“2015 Guide to Literary Agents” by the Writers’ Digest