Grateful

It's Christmas season! A time to reflect on the birth of Christ and enjoy time with family and friends. It's truly a wonderful time of year!

The other day while making our Christmas gift list, Robert and I were discussing who should get what gift and where we would make the purchases. I mentioned that we only had a few kids to buy for which included my cousins Allonah (14) and Gil (12). While I tossed around some gift ideas, Robert immediately said, "Honestly, baby... those kids will appreciate whatever you give them. They are just some extremely grateful children." I instantly agreed because it was so true. I began to think of all the times where they have received gifts for birthdays or Christmas and each time they were so excited and grateful! No matter how small, they were appreciative.

This reflection has lingered in my spirit all week. My cousins' genuine appreciation has reminded me to have a spirit of gratefulness. It was an especially needed reminder during this season. Everyone is so focused on gifts but the best gifts are usually ones that money can't buy. Memories, experiences, family, friends... these things are priceless.

Today, I am grateful for the little things. I'm grateful for what I am able to give to others. I am grateful for whatever I may receive. I am grateful for another Christmas season. I am grateful for my family. I am grateful for the memories I have with the people who are no longer here.

This season I urge you to follow my cousin's examples, be grateful. It's a reminder that we sometimes forget as we get older. Make gratefulness a habit and don't take anything for granted. What are you grateful for this Christmas?

Gran.

These past few months have been rough. On March 6, 2017, my Gran passed away.

Goodness, it hurts to even type that sentence. It hurts even more to say it aloud. It hurts every time I realize this is REAL, it isn't a dream.

Sure, my Gran was blessed with 85 years on this earth but that just isn't enough. Call me selfish, but it's how I feel. I'm not naive. I know people don't live forever but for some reason I thought this lady was immortal. My cousin Jerry put it best when he said, "This isn't supposed to be us. We aren't supposed to go through this. This happens to everyone else, not us." Did we feel like we were above suffering loss? No, we were just extremely blessed. No one in our immediate family tree had passed away since my Uncle Artis in the early 80's. Imagine going through your entire life with your closest family present for every holiday, birthday and family function. This time our matriarch was gone. The necessary piece of our family puzzle... missing.

It feels like it's been years since she's been gone. It hasn't even been 6 months. I cry every time I go to DeRidder. Every, single time. Do you know how hard it is to pass the back road to her house and not make it my first stop? Then there are the times when I forget she isn't there and think to myself, "I can't wait to stop and see Gran." Those times are even tougher than others because I feel ignorant for forgetting she's gone and that ignites even more tears.

It's tough going to see my Papa, because he's still here and I'm so thankful for that, but it's hard to see her chair empty. It's hard to not hear her on the phone when I walk in and her telling the person on the other line, "I have to go, my granddaughter is here." It's hard walking in and not asking her what she cooked that day. Or her not letting me leave without something in my hand... Fresh vegetables, a piece of cake she's baked, clothes that she thought I would like... I always left with something.

Now I realize that although I don't have those tangible things, I have an enormous amount of memories. I had so much fun with my Gran. We cooked a lot, she taught me so much. We would talk at least once a week on the phone. Always sharing our meals and getting ideas from each other. I remember one time I made some smothered cabbage. I told her it was good but it was too spicy and I was going to have to figure out how to fix it next time. Without hesitation she told me, "Why didn't you just put a little sugar in it? That would have made it even out just fine." My mind was blown because I didn't even think to do it but she had the answer immediately. Now I find myself thinking who's going to help me when I have those little problems in the kitchen?

I'm really trying to focus on how blessed I am to even share these memories. I'm also blessed that I had a real relationship with her. I truly enjoyed spending my time with her. If I'm being honest, I feel a little guilty. The night before she passed away, I had a terrible dream. I actually dreamed that she died. I woke up in the middle of the night scared. It was horrible. I told my husband about the dream 1 hour before she actually passed away. When I got the news that she was gone, I was so mad at myself because I didn't call her that day. I should've called her that morning. Why didn't I call her that morning? Why?

Gran always prepared us for her leaving this place. She always talked about death. Actually her and Papa. They always told us they wouldn't be around forever. She talked about her wishes. She was prepared. We listened but we weren't prepared. My heart really hurts and I'm guaranteed to cry at least once a week, mostly on Sundays.

 I just miss her and always will.

Confessions of an Overthinker

Hi, my name is Tamisha and I'm an Overthinker. I come up with grand, fantastic ideas then I get lazy and never develop them into fruition. It's a shame because I've come up with some great ideas and sat on them out of fear, procrastination and laziness. Enough is enough and I'm tired of having the seeds and not planting them.

In November I purchased the domain for mishasmentions.com. In December, I began developing my website via SquareSpace. I knew that I needed a different platform as well as a different look to take my blog to the next level. What I didn't know is that it would take some learning to fully transition the site. I looked at all the other blogs and saw they had beautiful logos, crisp photos and clever content. Guess what? I had none of those things. I began to second-guess if it was even worth it to continue with the blog... See what I mean? Overthinking. January comes along and I'd completely lost my motivation. I thought maybe I should just write some blog posts and maybe that would ignite a new fire. I had 10 topics ready but I couldn't bring myself to write about ANYTHING. Absolutely ridiculous.

I tucked away my vision for Misha's Mentions and decided to go on with my daily routine... Until... I listened a podcast that motivated me.

https://soundcloud.com/food-heaven-podcast/why-nys-resolutions-dont-work-how-to-create-healthy-habits-that-last

The podcast was about creating healthy habits but the thing that stuck out to me the most was she said the reason why most goals don't happen is the way that we set them. For example, instead of saying, "I'm going to lose 30 pounds this year"; say "I'm going to work out 3 times a week and commit to eating more fruits and vegetables/less processed food".

That's a huge difference. Instead of attempting to succeed blindly, you have a blue print for your goals. While listening to that podcast, I had an "A-HA Moment". I was setting unattainable goals for myself. I haven't exercised in months even though I'm not happy with my physical health. I've been eating like a teenager even though I'm 32 years old and planning to have a family soon. I could give you even more examples, but I think you get the point.

So here I am, writing blog posts on this platform instead of mishasmentions.com. I plan to publish blog posts here until March when I can transition to the other site.

Hopefully this post resignated with you. Do you have a goal that you're trying to reach? Tell me what are you doing to reach your goal.

Thanks for reading! The link to the podcast is above, check it out and tell me what you think!

I'm Back!

It is hard to believe that it has been over a year since I have posted on Misha's Mentions! I have missed blogging so much! 2015 was busy but life changing. In case you didn't know, I got married! Honestly, I didn't go into 2015 thinking I would transition from Tamisha Ashworth to Tamisha Hooker. Needless to say, I am so happy to be married. Our process for wedding planning was untraditional (to say the least). Everything was planned within 6 months and on a very strict budget. The next blog published will be all about my wedding including pictures and walking you through my process. So many people had questions about some of the elements that I incorporated and I really want to share it with you all.

I also want to give you all a snapshot of the direction I am going with Misha's Mentions. I am going to transition this blog into more of a lifestyle blog. Meaning, it will be inclusive of everything that is important and noteworthy in my life. I'm not saying that my life is more interesting than everyone else because I'm actually kind of boring.lol  I want to share my love of cooking, transitioning into married life, family events, etc. I will also incorporate videos (super excited about this!) and lots of photographs. Also, I will be posting at least  twice a month. Consistency is going to be key to the growth of this blog and I don't plan to be postless for a year again.

Look forward to my blog about the wedding within the next week! Also don't forget to connect with me in the comments section and via social media. Thank you for your continued support!

Mentorship

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to be a caseworker for a national mentoring organization. I learned so much in that position! Not only was it a position where I could utilize my Communications degree but I also had a hands-on approach to issues that children and adolescents face daily. The majority of the cases that I handled did not involve "bad" children. The children just needed a little outside guidance from an adult who had their best interests at heart. As a caseworker, I matched several children with amazing mentors that were positive forces in their lives. The experience made me a firm believer in the importance of mentorship at any age.

Though I have not formally had the title of having a mentee/mentor relationship, I have had several influential people in my professional career. I am so grateful for their guidance and expertise. They definitely poured good information into my life.

During my last two quarters at Louisiana Tech, I realized that I needed some hands-on experience for me to comfortably enter the job market. My major didn't have an internship list, but the Journalism department did and it was accessible to the public. I printed the list and did a Google search on each company that was listed. I came across the Ruston-Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau. Timothy was the Marketing Director and I reached out to him via email. He set up an appointment with me, interviewed me and gave me the opportunity to be under his wing. He taught me so much that supplemented my education. He gave me the opportunity to write press releases, create e-newsletters, and develop contacts with community stakeholders. Because of him, I was also given the opportunity to work on the Ruston Peach Festival. I still use the techniques, nuggets of advice and writing samples in my professional life. I appreciate his patience and wisdom.

My first professional position after college was as Community Engagement Coordinator for an advocacy program. I was so nervous that I was going to fail! I knew I had the training/skills to do the job, I just did not fully have the confidence. During my first week, I had the pleasure of being acquainted with Rochelle and Tommy. I now refer to them as my "Work Mom" and "Work Dad". They gave me a verbal blueprint of the expectations of my position but would also steer me in the right direction when it seemed that I was out of focus. I only held my position for 10 months until I moved on to another opportunity, but the months that I spent with my Work Mom and Work Dad have stayed relevant in my current professional life. They not only guided me professionally but also sowed into my life spiritually. I am grateful for them... always.

In my most recent position, I entered into a realm where I have never worked before. I was still hired to do Communications/Public Relations however I was no longer in the nonprofit sector. I was hired into a small division with a busy schedule. Sailor was the director of that division. From the beginning, I realized he was an amazing listener. Even though I was new, he always seemed to see potential in me. Over the year and a half that he served as my director, I simply observed him. He is admired by many people and people never have a bad word to say about him. As I observed him, I noticed that he always spoke and held a conversation with anyone. He always chose his words wisely and he always got his point across. He was simply a genuine person who had an important position but he didn't let that overshadow his morals.

Through these people I have learned so much! Each person taught me something different but I hold all the information in my heart and mind. I crossed their paths at different points in my professional life, but they molded me into the person I am today. The only regret I have is that I haven't expressed how much they have sowed into my life and how much I continue to reap from those seeds. I hope that the incline of my career and faithfulness to my values and beliefs mirror the opportunities that they have implanted in me.

*Thanks for reading Misha's Mentions!!! I would love to hear your feedback. Please reach out to me in the comments section or via social media!*

More Than "Just Enough"

About 4 years ago when I was searching for a vehicle, it was an extremely overwhelming process. Going to the dealership and being disappointed time after time became exhausting. Finally, I went to a Nissan dealership and test drove a vehicle. I drove the vehicle to my parent's house and discussed with my Dad the pros and cons. He told me if I really liked the car, then I should go ahead and process the paperwork to make it mine. While driving back to the dealership, I realized that I liked it but I didn't LOVE it. It was truly a base model vehicle, no power windows/locks or any other bells and whistles. Once again his words popped in my head, "It's your car. Make sure you like it because you're the person that has to pay the note every month". I was so distraught with the "car buying" process that I was ready to purchase the car even though I had reservations.

Upon arriving back at the dealership, I told the salesman I was ready to complete the paperwork. I filled the paperwork out and awaited the financial decision. *If you have ever purchased a vehicle, you know that this is the worst part of the process.* While seated quietly, I could hear the financial manager speaking with the finance company about my situation. He said, "She has steady income, she recently graduated from college, her credit is decent... Work with me so I can get her in this car. It's just a BASIC car. Nothing fancy, let's move it off the lot."

At that moment, I knew that BASIC car was NOT for me. I worked too hard to have just a BASIC car without even the standard features available in other vehicles. At that moment I withdrew my application and proudly walked back to my sister's vehicle (she had to drive me to the dealership,lol) About a month later, I purchased my current vehicle and it was more than I could have ever imagined. It was new and not used, had a few bells and whistles, and even less expensive than the car I initially looked at.

There have been so many changes happening in my life lately but no matter what I have come to the conclusion that I refuse to settle. I want to live my life far above being BASIC, simply because I know that my purpose calls for greater. I have worked hard to get an education and align myself with positions influential with my career goals. Let me clarify that I do not think I am better than anyone, I just have a greater responsibility for my life. I always have wanted MORE and I probably always will... Even though I may be at a point where I may not LOVE a particular situation, I can like it until I get to my determined destination.

Just like the financial manager labeled the car he was attempting to selling me as BASIC and I realized that it wasn't for me. I realize the same for my life. Simply because my life is not BASIC, it is valued. To whom much is given, much is required... I know that my talents have not been given in vain and I trust that they will be utilized to their full extent. I'm more than "just enough" and I do more than "just enough" to get by.

Are you "just enough" or MORE than "just enough"?

*Thank you for reading Misha's Mentions!
Please connect with me in the comments or contact me via social media!!!!*

Faith

Do you consider FAITH a noun or a verb? Let's start with the dictionary definition of faith: something that is believed especially with strong conviction (Merriam Webster Dictionary). Personally, I identify with the biblical definition: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). Now, do you consider FAITH a noun or a verb? A noun is a person, place or thing but a verb is an action.

To me, FAITH is a verb. I know you are probably wondering why does it matter if it is a noun or a verb. It matters because without faith, it is impossible to make it through life. Your FAITH becomes activated during some of the most challenging times in life. Trust me, I may only be 30 years old but there have been situations in my life that have caused me to rely solely on my faith.

Honestly, FAITH becomes tested when you least expect it. A couple of weeks ago, my FAITH was tested with news of possible layoffs. I did not become nervous but I remained calm. My FAITH reassured me that it will be alright. Before my human instincts could kick in to cause me to worry about bills, responsibilities and other uncertainties; my FAITH was already working in overdrive.

Presently, I am still faced with uncertainty but I know that it will all work out. I know that sometimes things have to be taken away or altered to allow us to reach higher heights. For the past 3 years, I have prayed constantly about my purpose and direction. I want to be able to utilize my gifts in the spiritual and natural world. I know that I have to maintain my FAITH in order to get to the place where I need to be in my life.

Though the outcome may seem far away and the obstacles may seem too great, I know that it will be ok. I have a strong feeling that the situation will work out for my good. It is so easy to quote the definition of FAITH or to tell someone else to "Keep the FAITH". The hard part comes when you have to ACTIVATE your FAITH.

Now, do you consider FAITH a noun or a verb? I am currently activating my FAITH because I know that even though the situation may seem impossible, it is more than possible.