Chess board and text “Strategic plan” Business planning concept

We must never put all our eggs in one basket and many of us end up learning this the hard way. It’s always best to have a plan B in mind.

As most of you know, my follow button doesn’t work anymore and hasn’t for several months now and Word Press will not help me restore it’s function. However, looking on the bright side, I have a plan B and have been implementing it for a long time now.

Plan B is this. Although I’m no longer able to follow new followers and new blogs I come across that I like, I CAN put them in my blog roll, which is the next best thing to following.

Doing this, I can keep up with their posts by going to the blog roll to click on the links to their sites.

How I wish I’d thought of this when I first started having issues. Until I’m able to produce a self-hosted blog, this will be my go-to plan to reciprocate the love of new followers from here on. Therefore, if you have these kinds of issues, if your follow button stops working or WP takes that feature away, remember. You can always add new followers to your blog roll.

I love you all! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

In 1995 and 1996, I worked at Charms Candy Company. A divorced mother of two children at the time, it was the job that came along just when I felt like giving up. I can’t tell you how many interviews I had been through. I worked in the Tool Crib in the maintenance department and I got along great with the other employees there.

The first winter of my employment at Charms was one of the coldest winters we’d had in years. And working third shift, those hours were the coldest. Because we worked a straight 8 hour shift, there were no lunch breaks, only two twenty minutes breaks, during which I’d go sit in my car and listen to music while the heater ran full blast.

On one particular night after the last break of the night, it was so cold that I jumped out of the car and ran full speed across the parking lot, thinking that the faster I ran, the quicker I could get inside where it was warm. I’d see many other workers sprint across the parking lot as well, trying to escape the single-digit temps and freezing winds that would cut right through a person.

Suddenly, the toe of my shoe hit something in the parking lot and I went head over hills. The next thing I knew, I was laid flat on the freezing asphalt with people passing by. It seemed that the entire third shift got to witness my unfortunate spill onto the cold, hard pavement. At first, I could feel my cheeks get warm and my face flush ten shades of red but a few seconds later, the embarrassment subsided and I could only laugh about it.

The other workers were gracious and one of the guys held out his hand for me to take and pulled me to my feet.

And from then on, I was known as Speed-bump. It was all in good fun and I loved my coworkers to death. It’s been said that of people give you a nickname, it means they like you a lot. I have to agree. How I miss those years. The 90’s were great!

The moral of the story is this: When you’re able to make fun of yourself, you show great confidence!

How blessed we are to have our faith, our family, and our freedom! I thank God for so many blessings! It is with a grateful heart that I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Here lately we’ve been hearing corrupt leaders use the phrase, “For the Greater Good,” or “For the Good of Humanity.” I agree that we should reach out and help our fellow man when he’s down. Also, I realize that these terms can be deceptive. People use these phrases to slyly promote the self-interest of only a few in authority.

Therefore, we must realize that the majority of politicians are experts at giving the illusion of compassion.

Understand that anytime someone tells you that you should  do something that is unsafe, or wrong “for the good of humanity,” you can be sure that what they’re asking you to do isn’t in your best interests. It never is.

A Subtle Guilt Trip?

Realize that the use of these two excuses is a form of manipulation.  Bullies and people in power use them to guilt you into doing something that will be harmful to you or to another individual. In that, they play on your empathy and love for humanity.

We see this happening today. But this is a tactic people have used all through history. And when you get hurt because you allowed them to convince you to do what you know to be harmful to you, they will then disappear and leave you to suffer with no recourse. It will be a herd lesson you’ll have to learn. Then, when you speak out and warn others not to make the same mistake you made, the same people will come back with a vengeance. And they will gaslight you and do everything they possibly can to destroy your credibility.

That’s why it’s imperative that you see these two phrases as sure signs of manipulation and follow your instincts. You most also question their motives and try to figure out what would be in it for them if you complied. Also, you must weigh the pros and cons on their side and those on your side of the equation. How would they benefit? How would you benefit? What could possibly go wrong if you complied?

Who Benefits from Your Compliance, You or Them?

Always ask questions even at the risk of invoking the anger of the authorities. And, more importantly, do your own research and gather your own information. Know that you have a right to know the truth.

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Anyone who has ever been bullied will tell you that it sometimes takes years to overcome the after-affects, get completely comfortable with yourself and find happiness.

Because of the torment I suffered at school, I was a shy person for years and my shyness peaked during my childbearing years. I would not speak to anyone unless they spoke to me first, out of fear that I would say something wrong. I didn’t like myself because I felt that I was somehow different and that God had put a mark on me like Cain. I felt that I didn’t quite measure up. And this was during my early 20s when I was just beginning to discover who I was and what I really wanted out of life.

Throughout junior high and high school, I was bullied so much that I was blinded to my own feminine beauty (I was a very beautiful young girl). I also did not feel free to express myself and most importantly, get to know myself.

Being in a toxic environment or around toxic people can block you from opportunities, blind you to your own inner and outer beauty, diminish the ability to use talents and natural abilities, prevent you from having your own opinions and feelings and from accepting and being yourself when you are young and haven’t been in the world long enough to know the difference.

When I finally left that toxic, poisonous, downright dangerous environment that was my old school and transferred to a new high school, I felt like a bird out of a cage- like I had just been given a full pardon and released from prison.

From that day forward, I could finally begin working on getting to know ME and I was put on the road to self-discovery. However, that road proved to be a long one.

During my mid to late 20’s I became hungry for self-betterment. I slowly began trying new things and confronting my fears and shyness HEAD ON by actually doing the things I feared most! I discovered talents and abilities I never thought I had and could express myself and my wants and needs without ridicule.

Like magic, new opportunities and better situations began opening up to me. It was like the floodgates of heaven had suddenly opened and I was washed away in a river of blessing.

But it took years to get through the anger, the sadness, the shyness, the defensiveness and being closed up and guarded before I was finally able to totally and completely accept who I was as a woman. And when I finally accepted myself, which meant accepting the good, the bad, and the ugly qualities, I found peace and happiness I never thought possible.

Am I perfect? No. Do I try to be? Nope. I accept all characteristics of me. I know my good traits: that I have a good heart, that I have compassion and empathy for others, that I am outgoing and confident, that I like to have fun, that I love to sing, dance and write novels. Am I proud of that? YES! YES! YESSSS!!!

I also know my bad traits and if I can’t do anything about them, I embrace them. However, if I can change them, I put in the work to do so. I accept that I am sometimes forgetful. I also accept that I no longer have the perfect body after having had children. I am comfortable in my own skin.

I also prefer Tee shirts, jeans, and sneakers over fancy dresses and high heels (which I only wear when an occasion calls for it). Do I like this about myself? ABSOLUTELY!

What I want is for you to completely accept yourself because it is a stepping stone to happiness. When you accept yourself as you are, quirks and all, and stop being so concerned about how you are seen by others, you actually FREE yourself from that ball and chain called self-consciousness. It is like a huge weight being lifted off of you.

Also, you become much more attractive to people and they are drawn to you like a magnet. And the individuals who are waiting for you to mess up actually get bored, give up and stop watching you. I know this from experience. Acceptance of self (all aspects) is such sweet freedom!

No one likes to be around a self conscious and insecure victim. I’ll say it again:
No. One. Likes. A. Victim!

So I want you to make a brand new start today and begin your new life by accepting who you are. Count your blessings, your friends, your family, and your chance opportunities. Anything positive that is happening OR has happened in your life is a blessing. This is where you start. Start by counting blessings. Take a pen and piece of paper and write down each blessing and I guarantee you will be on your way!

I wonder how many people can actually list all of their blessings without running out of paper and/or ink. I know I couldn’t.

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Here’s what one parent had to say on Facebook. I’m withholding her name to protect her identity.

“I think I am going to throw up! I’m having a PTSD moment.

Please read the entire post and share. Parents need to know.

This man should be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law in which is possible. Cyber Crimes and Stalking and Doxxing and a whole slew of other charges they can find!

Why do I feel this way? As you have been made of aware what happened to my child and the dysfunction by so called professional Educators and so called Professional Councilors and even a School Psychologist involved. Targeting and bullying and destroying a child and a parent. To my surprise after even dealing with legal aid who did absolutely nothing and I am doing everything possible I can for my son I get all my child’s education records!

I suggest to all parents you do the same. You might be surprised of what you might find!!

There is a envelope in my child’s education files! What do I find? I find Hippa Law Violation: Private medical records sent to the school and it even had mentioned my personal information and of course no one would believe me and everyone else covered their asses! Till this day no one has been prosecuted for anything these so called professionals did to my child and breaking laws.

Just disgusted at what these people have lowered themselves to, Arizona Educators, here in Ohio and across America.”

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Farizona-school-district-says-independent-investigator-examine-alleged-dossier-parents&h=AT35l_7jx66xUS0_i2Yte80gFDNoSBs2P1LA1PxxNIxSth56CJZVrECXDJwX0Fa0yZcU5zpXIJMt6hUgSHCY0y8us4sfFUhfrzFChI2mTw0qzapXJKt-vhFny6emgEFTwBeBpQI_LJVbvbZRJA

My take:

This is bullying on a grand scale, by school officials. And my advice to these parents is to take their kids out of public school and homeschool right away. Taking their kids out of these schools is the only way to even hope to hold these school officials accountable. Because with each child that exits public schools goes an average of $100.00 of funding per day in attendance. And it adds up quickly! Without kids, schools lose money! So, hit them where it hurts, parents!

With knowledge comes empowerment!

Inspired by one of my fellow bloggers, Betty, I have a new interest in Canva, and thought I’d try it and get my feet wet. It’s certainly not the best as I’m far from being an expert at designing, but it’s a start one must crawl before they can walk.

But oooh! Canva is so fun and it’s definitely sprouting a new hobby!