Quote of the Day

“If you treat an individual as he is, he will remain how he is. But if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.” 
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Uplift and inspire someone because there are a line of people waiting to tear them down.

What's Your Level of Committment

I was riding the bus and I happen to look up a saw the word "commitment," next to a college enrollment post which was ironic because I had just seen T.D. Jake's  sermon on it.

I can see how the two are related because nothing in life can happen without a enormous amount of commitment and hard work. If you are not full committed or are willing to work hard, you will never reach the full potential. But it took me back to the sermon I had heard. In it T.D. Jake talks about how we are in a generation of people who never full commit.

It made me wonder, what am I committed to? And do I fully ever give myself to anything? In the past, I would say something and boom I would do it but as I have gotten older the drive has slowly dwindled. But I am still accomplishing goals? So is "commitment" to the completion of goal?

I am not sure but I have devised an experiment to find out. I have given up my most precious likes in an effort to lose those last 5 lbs. The items include: fast food, soda, sweets (cookies, cake, ice cream, etc.) and I have replaced it with healthy alternatives. But I also added some things: going to church regularly, blogging more, and exercise once a day.

I am not sure how it will pan out but I want to try it.

Kay

My Dallas, Texas Nightmare

So I went to Dallas for business/vacation last week and I most say it was a nightmare. Due to the whole city shutting down I was stuck a hotel for two days then the airport for another 2 days. Which was not fun because the airport was freezing. I had four cancelled flights by United and only got home when they sent a crew from Houston. I personally think United should have done that earlier. I am definately going to write a letter of complaint to both organizations. Ice storms are not uncommon in Dallas and there should be a better crisis management plan. But I thankful to God that I was able to leave Dallas.

Kay

Critique vs Criticism

Believe it or not we all need to have a critic in our lives to give us a critique. They are the people that you trust the most and will be straight with you about your attitude, clothing, and so much more. You need them as much as they need you to do the same. However we must be careful not to cross the line over to criticism? So what is the difference, you ask?

A good critique will include good and bad attribute and can possible offer you a suggestion to change your behavior. For example, you are really good at focusing on details but sometimes you focus to much on the details which has resulted in decrease in your productivity. But when someone is criticizing you, it tends to focus will only on the bad.

I strive to be a great critic because it helps people to be the best version of themselves rather than give criticism to mold you to be horrible version of what society wants them to be.

Have a awesome Holiday.

Kameeshia

Where is the justice?

I am not a political person but I feel that it is time people take a stand and ask where is justice in American society? 

We live in a time where a kid can be stalked through the streets of his own neighborhood and gun down yet the murder walks free; yet a woman  fires a warning shot (which hit no one) at her abusive ex and is sentenced to 20 years in prison. 

If you have not guessed it, I am talking about the case of Marissa Alexander. If you do not know the story or need a refresher, this is how the story goes: Marissa Alexander fired a warning shot to her abusive ex in Jacksonville, FL and used the "stand your ground defense" but lost the case. Under the Florida mandatory sentencing law for firearm crimes, Alexander received 20 years in prison because she discharged a weapon in the commission of a crime. George Zimmerman, against police advice stalked and gun down Travyon Martin yet a jury found him not guilty. So, if I am to understand this correctly, a woman who was actually in danger fires a warning shot,  hits no one and is in prison til this day but a man who stalked a kid and gun him down just for walking the street went free.Where is the justice? 

I know many of you are thinking, "Wow Kay you are late to the party," but here is my point: Zimmerman was freed almost immediately after his verdict and received a very speedy bail hearing, yet Alexanders sits in jail until her bail hearing in early 2014. The fact of the matter is Marissa Alexander is not a violent offender, no one was hurt, so why should she sit in jail? Why are non-violent offenders not on house arrest? 

The fact of the matter is the justice system, just like many other institutions are unfavorable and biased  based on race AND classicism. We need to really think is money more important than our salvation. Does money give you the right to rape, pillage, and kill? 

In Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." The fact is money comes and goes and power does the same. The one thing that remains is wreckage it leaves behind. I for one do not want sorrow in my life but when I stand before God, I want him to see I had more faith in him than worldly gain over others. 

Be blessed not stressed.

Kay

Who controls your happiness?

Have you ever heard someone say "I just want to be happy" or "If I just had ...., I would be happy?" I have said it myself and heard it as well. But I often wonder, what is in the way of me or you being happy now? The answer is easy: you are what you feel, hang out with, and allow in your life. 

If you feel bad about yourself, hang out with people who drag you down, or allow things in your life that diminish your joy then you will never have happiness. We have to learn to identify those in our lives who up lift us and encourage us from those who constantly tear us down. Joel Osteen had a great sermon on #574R on 11/10/2013 "Take Control of Your Happiness." He identifies how to categorize those in your life into 4 categories: Lift, Thrust, Weight, and Drag." http://www.joelosteen.com/Pages/VideoStreaming.aspx. Learn to control your own happiness and not let others control it.

Have an Awesome Day 

Kay 

The Right to Vote.... Are we really free?

I was not sure if I was going to write about this but it weighed heavily on my mind. As I was watching the news I saw" "Kim Kardashian fake baby pictures",  "Find the Stanley Cup", and other stories about things that have no direct connection to affecting how we live. I am not saying that babies being born are not a great thing but really people have them everyday, Kim Kardashian's is not that special. The Stanley cup is a big deal, I am going to the parade but I really do not care to see people going on a treasure hunt to find it. 

I want to see stories about things that affect my life, like the Supreme Court's Decision on the Voting Act of 1965.  I am so disappointed by the lack of coverage because this affects American's whole democratic selection process.  Just think of what re-zoning will do for elections, its the 21st century version of Jim Crow Laws.  

As a black person in American, I can truly say that I am disappointed because this is a long the same lines as the laws created after reconstruction of the civil war. Laws that systematically stripped minorities and other disenfranchised people of the right to vote, serve in office, and the freedom to live. Could you imagine what laws and governments will be created under the dismantling of the Voters Rights Act of 1965 to systematically remove the rights of people. 

It begs me to ask, Are we really free? 

I agree with President Obama it is deeply disappointing. Do people understand how many lives have been lost for civil rights to exist in the United States of America? 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/26/us/supreme-court-ruling.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.

Quote of the Day

Quote of the

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/arthur_c_clarke_101182

It is what you think....

In this life, your thoughts are a driving force within you life. Haven't you ever heard the saying, "So a man thinkth and he is." 

So, how do we change our thoughts? FIND THE POSITIVE IN IT!!!!!!

By finding the positive you will discovery that what you wanted in your life was not want you needed. Therefore there was no need to get upset when you did not get it. But ultimately, it will give you peace of mind. 

Peace of mind means, what God has for you is yours. So, there is no need to rush, over think, or worry.....let him guide you and you will WIN in the end. 

"I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid." 
John 14:27 

What you ask for.....

When ever you make a request be sure to understand exactly what you are looking to get. What you want  may look like a rose and have its scent but it could turn out to be an onion. But what you need maybe the rose bud.

Many people fail to ask  for what they need because they are blinded by what they want. Satisfying your needs rather than asking for your wants can lead you to a great victory in life. Think about it, we need air and ask people all the time to be considerate of the earth to stop pollution, so why would you not ask for another need.

I am not saying that you should never ask for what you want because wants can change the world. Every idea is something someone wanted to change in order to make his/her life better. I am saying that your life should be a fulfillment of what you need to be the best version of yourself.

Where is your faith?

If you put your faith in man then you get the limitations of man. But if you put your faith in God then you will have endless possibilities.  -me :-)

Quote of the Day

From: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes_of_the_day.html

The Unthinkable

I went to the funeral of a friend's father. I could not help but to feel sorry for her and her brother because even in death they did not get the respect they deserved. She was the first born of his children, her brother the second but they were listed last after their young siblings. I watched as their significant others sat in the front row and she was forced to sit on the side with non-family. I truly felt her heart breaking. 

I listen to the eulogy and the preacher talked about how he knew her father and how great the content of his character but the preacher did not know my friend's father had four children. During the service he stated how he was lead to the ministry by her father and what a great family man he was. How could you know someone and not know he had four children. I could not help but laugh on the inside and think now she is finally free. Free of his family and the way they treat her but is she free?

As long as I have known her, she was always on the outside looking in, longing to belong to a family who treated her as a second class citizen. I could not help but to look at the lives of those around me and wonder, why? I mean how can a parent turn his back on his own children because his family says so? Are people really that weak? 

You cannot do everything at once but you can do 
everything one at a time.

Quote of the Day

“The only thing that stands between you and your dream is the will to try and the belief that it is actually possible.” – Joel Brown

There is no limit to what you can achieve if you believe it can happen. Remember every tree started with a tiny seed. Get it!!!!

Quote of the Day

Failure to act is still an action. You can choose to go in the direction 

you want or ride the wave of indecision and let others decide your 

future.- Kay Lackey

 Some times in life, going with the flow is not an option. Do not be afraid to make a decision, it could be the difference between a promotion and a pink slip.

Quote of the Day

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Harold Whitman

No people are alike, so why are people constantly trying to be a carbon copy. Everyone is who they are because of what they had to endure to get there. No matter what you do, you can not feel how they felt or play the had that the world dealt them. so Stop trying to fit in and learn to stand alone. Do what makes you, YOU and the world will see its value.


Have an Awesome Monday

Quote of the Day

The ability to concentrate and to use your time well is everything if you want to succeed in business--or almost anywhere else for that matter.-Lee Iacocca

Time management is essential to achieving goals both in your personal and professional lives. But time management is a tricky thing, how do you know what should be done first. Try a calendar, I know scheduling you life may seem funny but it really help to put things into perspective and keep ypu on track.

WHAT YOU WILL BE?

I was doing some research and came across a sermon by Joel Osteen. I had glossed over it time and time again but today I was compelled to watch it. The title is DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WILL BE?

Before the sermon began I thought to myself, NO. 

In the sermon Joel Osteen speaks of how some well known people: Himself, Denzel Washington, 
Oprah, and others had an ordinary person speak a vision into their lives. The vision this ordinary person 
saw as their future, for many of them was something they had never dreamed. They used the ordinary 
person'svision of their futures for themselves as motivation to succeed. 

It made me wonder, What had people spoke in my life? Was there any indication of their vision of
my potential  in my life?

My mother as well as my family has always told me I have a spirit of determination and no matter 
what comes to me, I set a goal and I reach it. But what does that mean as far as a purpose in life? 
How will this lead me to the right path?

Quote of the Day

Your neighbor's vision is as true for him as your own vision is true for you.- Miguel de Unamuno

You can not take the vision of someone else and make it your own. That is the path that he or she makes take to gain their purpose of life. You need to find your own vision, so you can discover your purpose.

Quote of the Day

Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start. -Nido Qubein 

What Do You Remember?

My sister sent me this link to Joel Osteen's sermon entitled, "Remembering the Good." She included a note which said "you should blog about it." Like Oprah and T.D. Jakes, his stance is to change the way you think in order to change your life.

Are thoughts that important? I think so. I remember in 2009 when I got really sick and was unable to walk, I had a battery of test and nothing was found to be wrong yet I could not walk. At one point my doctor told me that although I did not have an official diagnosis he felt my condition with be degenerative and I will lose the ability to walk without assistance.  But all that time it was going on I never once thought not walking was an option.

So take a look and tell me what you think, is he right? Does what you remember determine your life?

Quote of the Day

“To me education is a leading out of what is already there in the pupil's soul.” ― Muriel Spark

Achieving Every Goal

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/denise-scarbro/set-goals_b_2404912.html

Here is an interesting article I found on goal setting, in the article the author identifies 4 steps to ensure that goals can be met.

Cliff Notes From Article

1. Identify Your Goals. 

2. Be Inspired. 

3. Have No Fear. 

4. Break It Down. 

Let me know what you think? Do you agree with these steps? What are some of your own tips?

Kay 

Quote of the Day

"The question for each man to settle is not what he would do if he had means, time, influence and educational advantages; the question is what he will do with the things he has. The moment a young man ceases to dream or to bemoan his lack of opportunities and resolutely looks his conditions in the face, and resolves to change them, he lays the corner-stone of a solid and honorable success."-Hamilton Wright Mabie

I found the quote, so I decided to post about it. Let's face it this world is not made equal. Many people although intelligent, talented, and skilled will never become the Warren Buffett, Jay-Z, Martin Luther King or Obamas of the world. But why is that? The answer is simple we (I have included myself) fail to dream and settle for the lives we feel we deserve. This can be contributed to past situations in our lives, up bringing, and so on. But when do you draw the line and say I deserve better?

As I have gone through life I have known one thing, I was going to be Dr. Lackey. Despite the obstacles that I have faced, I continuously worked toward it using the resources that I have had. I guess you could say I am not a settler and I know how to make plenty from a turnip. 

What's Your "Right Outlook"?

Last Sunday, I was watching T.D. Jake's sermon entitled, "Blind Faith: The Importance of a Right Outlook."
The message was very powerful and explored how your outlook on life can limit you. As I watched the sermon many things caught my attention but one thing stayed with me throughout the week...Do I have the RIGHT outlook?  Am I living up to God's potential or am I as T.D. Jake's says "settling for less than what God has for me?" Its was just like being asked,What's next? The pure notion of  "settling for less than what God has for me, lingered on my mind. Am I one of those people trying to achieve greatness in the wrong place?

So I pose this question: What is your outlook on life and is it the right outlook? In other words,  are you on the right path to discover your purpose?

Quote of the Day

Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life. -Herbert Otto

In life you have to be able to take risk, that means do something without knowing what is waiting on the other side. This is called life. But life changes even when we are no ready. 

Quote of the Day

“The sky has never been the limit. We are our own limits. It’s then about breaking our personal limits and outgrowing ourselves to live our best lives.”- unknown

When you have given all you got?

Inspired by a story of a millionth favor....Have you ever had a mate or family member that is always in need of a favor and never returns the favor? What do you do you do when you have given everything and they still ask? Do you continue to give until you have no more? Or do you say no? At what point do you draw the line with them?

Quote of the day: Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right.-A. Huxley

There is no such thing as a ceiling in life, there is always another level. So when you make a goal in life and reach it then make a new goal. Or make a goal with multiple parts but never stop aim for something more. 


Kay

Quote of the Day: “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.”  Oprah Winfrey

Are you living the American Dream?

I am currently reading, "Back to Work" by Bill Clinton. While it is an interesting read, I can not help but to wonder will I ever reach the American Dream? I guess before I can answer that question, I have to ask an even bigger one... 

What exactly is the American Dream in today's standards? Has it changed?

Welcome to Conversation with Kay

Dear Reader,

I decided to start this blog after a conversation with a friend about life over dinner. Let me paint the picture, she is a well accomplished 30 something professional with a husband, two children, and home owner. I am the complete opposite and I live by one moto: "Live life and do not let life live you."  At the end of our dinner, I was asked the one question I dread, "What's Next, you know after you complete your doctorate?" So, I gave her a mediocre answer of what I hope to aspire to.

But I was left wondering, as I approach the end of my ultimate goal, what is next? I mean how do you discover your purpose in life when society has a laundry list of things you should be doing or have done and where you should?

You could say I took the scenic route in my 20's. So, I have decided to do a social experiment and find the answer. I am not sure where this blog will lead me or what I will find but I am open to the challenge.

Thanks

Kay