When You Feel Discouraged

Thank you Sharon Jaynes for today’s message..

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded ~ Hebrews 10:35 NIV.

Have you ever gone through a period of discouragement? Perhaps you’re in one right now. Believe me, I’ve been right there with you. I’ve hidden in the cave with Elijah, under the gourd plant with Jonah, and in the dessert with Moses.

Discouragement comes when there is a gap between what you expect and what you experience—when there is a gap between what you hoped would happen and what actually does happen.

Discouragement can destroy your passion and undermine your purpose. It can take root because of what others say or didn’t say—a mom who said too much or a dad who said too little. Unmet expectations can become the breeding ground for discouragement to multiply and take root.

We certainly see that in Moses’s life. When Moses was forty years old, he expected to be the deliverer for his people. But what he experienced was rejection and regret. Forty years later, when God called him to lead the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt, Moses argued:

Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” (Exod. 4:10).

This statement that came out of Moses’s stuttering lips was simply not true. As Stephen reminded us: “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22). Moses had defined himself by his failure and was held hostage by a constant state of discouragement. Oh friend, we need to be so careful to not do the same.

Discouragement causes many a believer to pull up a lawn chair in cul-de-sac Christianity and refuse to venture out to the adventurous faith. They mumble the words “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me” over their hopes and dreams. They fill the gap between what they hope for and what they experience with the false belief that dreams aren’t worth the effort.

What we tend to see as a permanent condition, God sees as a temporary situation. What you see as one of your greatest setbacks might be one of God’s incredible setups for marvelous miracles to occur. If you are meeting resistance in your hopes and dreams, then you’re most likely on the right track. The devil wouldn’t mess with you if you weren’t a menace to his plans and a valuable asset to God.

What the devil really wants to do is to steal your confidence, and the best time to rob you blind is during a season of disappointment. Guard your heart. Don’t be caught unaware and allow him to hold you back, trip you up or slow you down. The circumstances are, well, just circumstantial—collateral damage in the real battle to take away your confidence in Christ.

So don’t let the devil win. You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus!

Let go of debilitating discouragement and take hold of your next assignment!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Tasty Tuesday: Yippee-Ki-Yay Spicy Southwest Chicken Chowder

Thank you Hungry Girl for another AWESOME recipe.  I am such a soup girl when the weather gets cold.  I usually need to be warmed up AND it is so easy to heat and make when dinner is just me while hubby is at work.  I like to create my own “concoctions” with things I have on hand so trying new recipes is always fun.  Hungry Girl helps us to spice up our life with a bowlful of this hearty soup!  Flavor, fiber, and all that protein — poultry power!!

1/10th of recipe (about 1 cup): 163 calories, 1.5g total fat (0.5g sat fat), 654mg sodium, 18.5g carbs, 3g fiber, 4.5g sugars, 18.5g protein. MAKES 10 SERVINGS.  Freestyle™ SmartPoints® value 2*

Ingredients:

2 – 14.5-oz. cans (about 3 1/2 cups) fat-free chicken broth
15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
14.75-oz. can cream-style corn
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 pepper)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 onion)
2 tbsp. chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 2 peppers)
1/2 cup plain light soymilk
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. In a slow cooker, combine broth, beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, chipotle peppers, soymilk, garlic, and cumin. Stir well.
2. Season chicken with salt and black pepper and place in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3 – 4 hours or on low for 7 – 8 hours.
3. Transfer chicken to a bowl. Shred with two forks — one to hold chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred.
4. Stir shredded chicken into the soup in the slow cooker. Stir in potato flakes, sour cream, and cilantro. Enjoy!

NOTE:  HG Alternative! Skip the chipotle peppers for a deliciously mild chicken chowder.  Although I LOVE spicy, I will probably skip the peppers this time around.

This is an AWESOME hearty lunch on those chilly days…..What’s the perfect way to take your lunch to work?  That’s right – one of Thirty One’s thermal totes is the correct answer.  The Around the Clock Thermal is one of our most versatile thermal totes.  It is great for lunch or snacks anytime, anywhere—work, school, festivals, road trips, pool, beach, golf course, boating or sporting events. The water-resistant thermal lining keeps contents cool and makes cleanup easier.   If you need a visual for size – think a six-pack of soda!  Yes, it will fit in it and still have some room at the top for some more snacks.  A removable shoulder strap means you can carry it any number of ways, including as a crossbody for hands-free movement. An interior mesh pocket and exterior front zipper pocket provide separate storage options when needed. Makes a great gift for friends, neighbors, kids, teachers and everyone else on the go!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

 

Holiday Shopping Made Easy

When I joined Thirty One in February of 2011, this is what my $99 kit looked like.  Believe it or not, I still use the large utility tote for vendor events.  I will admit, the prints were not my favorite but I made it work because I was looking to get product at a discount.

In October of 2018, Thirty One will be in business 15 years! It has come a long way from the early days in Tennessee.  It has grown into one of the top direct sales companies in the country.  Yes, you caught me, this is an offer to get your holiday shopping started coupled with a chance to make some money this holiday season.  Yes, it is possible to do both for probably less money then you think….

There just 5 more days to take advantage of the Gifting Essentials Enrollment Kit.  This AWESOME kit is just $50 and has everything you need to not only start your own business BUT also has some solutions for your holiday gift giving.  Here is the product you are going to receive:

• Large Utility Tote in Chevron Squares w/ Owl Icon-It in Red w/ Blackboard font in White
• Mini Zipper Pouch in Twill Stripe
• Statement Canvas Pillow Cover 18×18 in Natural w/ Love Icon-It in Red w/ Block font in Charcoal
• Keepin’ Cozy Scarf in Chevron Dash
• Littles Carry-All Caddy in Cool Cutie

The value of the product alone is $120, now you won’t find this kind of deal on Black Friday!  Plus you will get all of the business supplies you will need to collect orders and earn some money as well as additional credits for business supplies or products.

Whether you are looking for some extra money for the holidays or some girl time (or me time) or you just want to get discounts on the products… Thirty One has a place for you.  Will a part-time job this holiday season let you party on Facebook, use your products so you can show them to everyone and then pay you for helping your friends and family shop?  For just 4 hours a week, I am teaming up with other leaders to help my team earn $1000 for their holiday shopping.  Let’s see it is about 32 hours for $1000 which means it is about $30 per hour.  Where can you work and get paid like that?

Ok so you don’t need the money but you do need to get out of the house so why not gather a few friends (at their house) and share the amazing products Thirty One has to offer?  You get to hang with the girls, and make money at the same time.  How fun, right?

Now, we all love a good deal right?  So if you just want to shop this holiday season and get a 25% discount… go for it.  You will have these great products to start off the gift giving and then you can buy some more personalized products for those difficult people on your list.  We all have them.  🙂  Who knows, you may even be able to help some friends do some of their shopping as well.

Whatever your reason, let me help make your holiday shopping a little easier.  And if you don’t want this AMAZING kit…. I will be happy to be your personal shopper

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

 

On My Way…..NOT!

Today’s blog post has been re-written many times.  First filled with the excitement of earning the Leadership Incentive trip and heading on a FREE cruise with my daughter.  Then it was about the delayed cruise and spending some time in NC with Belinda.  This morning, I am re-writing again…

The Leadership Incentive Trip has officially been cancelled. Irma entered our lives and changed everything!  No, I don’t mean the cute clothes from LuLa Roe.  I mean the devastating hurricane which is leaving its mark every where it lands.  Devastating the Carribean as it makes it way to Florida and the US.  

I will admit, I had a pity party last night.  I long for some quality time with my daughter but sadly if Irma continues on the projected track, they will be in its path.  I have weathered many a hurricane but at the ripe old age of 60, I decided staying home was probably a better idea.  

Since the blog posts are already written for the next week while I was supposed to be traveling, I will still be sharing some of my top bog posts from the past.  Some may be tweaked but others will just be “throwbacks” of my most popular ones.  I have been reflecting on the earning period for the Leadership Incentive trip and why I was successful this time when I hadn’t been in the past.

If you are trying to change an aspect of your life, here are some tips which helped me – thank you Patty Lennon

1. Decide to succeed.

There is a goal you are striving for right now which is deeply personal and vital to you. Remove the possibility of NOT succeeding from your mind right now. This means each time you fall down, you get back up because any failure is temporary.  I will say, utilizing this mindset every month has helped me reach my monthly goals even during the dreaded “J” months.

I wanted to earn this trip as a gift for hubby for our 5th wedding anniversary.  I wanted him to experience my “pink bubble” so he would understand why it is so important to me.  So, in my mind success became inevitable. I was no longer willing to NOT succeed. Which leads to …

2. Get Support.

When you are reaching for a goal you have not achieved before whether it’s growing your business to a new level, changing your health or improving your relationships you will do far better if you have help.  Who can support you in achieving your goal?

I have been sharing my monthly goals with everyone – my team, my customers and basically anyone who would listen. They celebrated and encouraged me every step of the way.  When Negative Nellie stopped for a visit, I looked for someone to help me kick her to the curb.

3. Don’t Give Up.

Whatever goal is most important to you right now it is critical you not give up, especially if the goal is related to your business. The truth is most things fail the first time  around especially in business – whether it’s a new message, promotion or marketing campaign. It is NORMAL.  Everyone falls down. Your choice (and the choice which defines those who succeed) is whether you get back up.  Everything is possible when you make the decision to succeed. No matter what happens do not give up!

With my first LIT earned, what is next for me and my business?  I will admit planning for September has been a struggle.  A holiday weekend led into getting ready for a week away.  I was hoping earning the trip would keep me motivated but the truth is, Vacation Veronica is knocked on my door. As I ponder what to do this week, I am setting my goal for September and am working on a plan to earn the Leadership Incentive Trip again next year.

Using these tips has helped me in my business so I am I am going to apply them to my weight loss journey to see what happens.  I am just 7 pounds away from being back at goal weight so it is non-negotiable.  I want to celebrate reaching my goal and not look back.

The truth is “the Divine will light your path with miracles to make it easier as you go.”  Send your positive energy into the Universe.  What is your goal?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Confidence is Within Your Reach

Confident by definition is “feeling or showing self-assured; and feeling or showing certainty about something.”  Have you ever felt your confidence slipping?  Fear and doubt creeps in?  Those nasty inner gremlins play with your emotions?

I have a choice – it is time to make a decision and take action.  Time to stop wallowing in self-pity.  Time to find the independent confident woman I was.  Time to STOMP on those inner gremlins.  Yes, there may be tears.  Yes, there may be angry moments.  But in the end, all will be well.  God has a plan for me and I need to have faith.

I looked back at an article I read on the Direct Sales Education Foundation‘s website about “Finding Confidence“.  Yes, I need to hit “RESET” periodically because those nasty gremlins find their way past the closed (or what I thought was sealed) doors.

Has “self confidence” been a struggle for you?  I know I am always talking about it but I but I am often surprised by the people who share they lack confidence.  On the outside they appear strong, capable of overcoming anything while on the inside they are fighting the same inner gremlins many of us do.   Here are some of the tips which might help:

• Practice makes perfect.   We have all heard this a million times growing up – from sports to school to musical instruments.  As I got older, practicing seemed silly.  I was a fan of winging it but have found when I do, my confidence is sometimes shaken.  “My mission is to bring a smiles and paychecks to those who are struggling and love #ThirtyOneGifts as much as I do!” Something simple but definitely worth practicing.  My party scripts are becoming a little bit more natural too since I have been practicing.  Practice may not make me perfect but it will help to build confidence.
• Find a mentor.  I have an amazing upline, Hope Shortt has been supportive and knows just when to challenge me.  Find someone who you want to be like, ask them if you can shadow them.  Find someone who you can trust and respect and build a relationship.  I also am blessed to have Desiree Wolfe in my corner.  Her kick in the butt is what I need sometimes.
• Find a partner.  Find a close friend, family member or even your spouse who can share in your accomplishments and help to bolster your confidence.
• Dress for success.  This is something else I have heard since my college days.  Wear something which makes you feel good when you go to a presentation or a meeting.  It should fit well and be put together with accessories and hair style.  Someone asked me the other day if I had a makeover.  I was THRILLED.  No, not a formal one but I did in my head.  How?  Hair style instead of just hair hanging straight.  Out of my jeans for meetings and into a pair of khakis (capris right now) with a nice shirt and jewelry.  Makeup.  I never leave the house without some.  You never know who you will run into on the trip to the grocery store to grab a gallon of milk.

Simple tips but for those of us who have a small comfort zone, this is a BIG deal.  Things I have heard for years but thought I was “too old”.  You can teach an old dog new tricks – really!  Are you ready to challenge yourself?  Try one of these tips, if not all of them.  DREAM BIG!  The sky is the limit.

Time to accept your strengths and weaknesses. Challenges will come but it is how we deal with them which makes the difference in the end.  Time to be confident in myself and how I want my life to be.

How do you find your confidence?  Please share, I would love to hear and at the same time, you may help someone else.  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!