Half full Vs. Half empty

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Is your glass half empty or half full?

The way we perceive things matter! I found that it is far more encouraging and uplifting looking at my glass as half full. There is always room for Improvements in life, and goals are important. However, having a mindset of being thankful and showing gratitude is good for the spirit. This is such a fast pace world things are always changing, and we are always ready to move on to the next thing. I grew up in the 80's and 90's those were humble times, back then there were no cellular phones, internet or social media (smile), and everything moved at a slower pace. If I wanted to talk to someone, I would have to call them on my land line, write a letter or talk to them in person. My point is that there was a time when people were much more patient and people centered. Fast forward to today 2017 everything seems quick and manufactured. This culture is always looking for a quick fix, and then it is on to the next thing. This generation tends to always look at the glass as half empty. I will admit the internet and social media can be a blessing and a quick way of reaching a large number of people. I am able to write and publish this blog because of the amazing advancements in technology (smile) for that I am thankful. Sadly, the down part of this fast paced society has left us constantly wanting more instead of enjoying the beauty that's around us. I used technology as an example but that is just one of many aspects of our society that is constantly force feeding us. We are constantly trying to play catch up with the next "in" thing. As a result of this, the glass always remains " half empty" and a feeling of non-fulfillment lingers. There is always going to be a newer thing and a bigger thing. Those things are great and they have their season and their purpose. However, perspective is everything. The way you view your world will either brighten your day or dampen your day. I pose this question to you: Is your glass half empty or half full?





      When was the last time you took time to just enjoy the beauty round you?




I woke up to find two roses blooming in my front yard. I was captivated by the beauty of the roses, I couldn't help but to snap a picture (smile). The pictures below truly does not capture the true beauty and the color of the roses, there is nothing like seeing it up close and personal. I have seen roses many times, and the yellow rose are my favorite but I have never taken the time to admire it in it's natural state UNTIL NOW. 

I pray that you too will have an opportunity to enjoy the beauty around you. May you get an opportunity to listen to the joy and laughter of your loved ones, feel the breeze blowing through your hair and witness the breathe taking views of nature. Wishing you good health and happiness! 

                                                                                  Cassie 

Accepting Change Gracefully

Change Is Not Easy!




Whether it is a positive change or a negative change, the fact remains that change is never easy.
It is easy to get comfortable in a familiar situation, getting out of that rut can be very hard. In the last couple of years a lot of good changes have been taken place in my life. I just did not know how to react to the changes, I felt like a deer in headlights. I must admit that maybe I was a little fearful of going into "unfamiliar waters". Even though I was scared of the unknown, staying in stagnancy is even scarier. Stagnancy is not a good feeling, I felt like I was burning out. I was tired of going the same places and doing the same things. I was in a never ending cycle leading to a dead end. I was unable to grow, I was miserable and that's when I knew it was time for a change. I had to say goodbye to my comfort zone, so that I could spread my wings. I was like a goldfish trapped in a small bowl, now that I have stepped out of my comfort zone; my bowl has gotten bigger and I have plenty of room to grow.



                              Trusting The Process

Change can be scary but I have to trust the process that God is bringing me through. I am learning to just let go and trust God that he knows what's best for me. I am trying not to rush the process and I am also trying not to drag my feet when it's time to move on. Change must happen for progress to take place. From my experience Change and progress seem to come together as a couple. Whenever I make positive changes, progress follows, that is an indication that I am heading in the right direction.



                                            Accepting Change Gracefully    


I realize that when one journey ends another journey begins. If I am truly trusting the process, I have to embrace the changes and not act scared and confused. Whatever progress God has blessed me with is for me. Above all, I trust his timing and I trust that I will be able to accept change gracefully. Change is not easy but it is not my enemy. I am thankful that I'm changing and progressing just like God intended. I hope that you too find peace in accepting change gracefully. Wishing all of my readers good health and happiness.

                                                               
                                                                      Kind Regards,


                                                                          Cassie

                     

Happiness Inspires, Let your light shine!

My Happiness Matters!     Don't Be Afraid Of Being Happy!    Let Your Happiness Shine!





Embracing Happiness


Healing for me has been progressive over the years. My journey finally led me to a place of happiness. It wasn't easy getting to this place, but it was well worth the wait. When I arrived to this unfamiliar place of happiness, I did not know how to react to it. I felt like I wanted to smile, I wanted to sing, I wanted to jump, scream and shout. However, me being the introverted person that I am, I felt awkward doing any of those things. If I am being completely honest, I have to also say that it was awkward because I did not know how to be happy. Depression and sadness has been such a big part of my life, being happy seemed very foreign to me. I did not know how to express my happiness. As I continue to grow and heal I am feeling more confident in expressing my happiness. I decided to express my happiness doing things that make me smile. I stay away from self judgments and I don't consider outside judgments either. I don't want to be afraid to be happy anymore, I earned it and I waited a lifetime to get here. I want to enjoy every moment of my life from here on. God knows me best and he knows exactly what I need, I am thankful for the opportunity he has given me to experience happiness. Recently, I have found joy in expressing my happiness in the following ways: taking selfies in my sunglasses, making short videos of myself while listening to music. These are just a few of the ways I express my happiness. I am embracing my happiness, I pray that you will also embrace your happiness. Wishing you good health and happiness. I hope that my story inspires you to embrace your happiness!

                                                                  
                                                                     - Cassie
                                                      




                                             Expressing My Happiness! 

Let's Talk About It!

                                                    Let's Talk About It!

In this society we have no problem talking about the many illness that plague us. It has become socially acceptable to talk about our illnesses, and some go as far as becoming advocates to help bring awareness to their illness in hopes of helping others that suffer from the disease. However, when it comes to mental illness there is a stigma and shame that comes with it. Why is this? The truth is that millions of people are living with a mental illness both diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals. Your coworker, your neighbor, the person you sleep next to, your child or a family member maybe living with a mental illness. Mental illness has no particular face. That smile you see on the face of your loved one maybe masking the pain inside. The deeper issues is: why does society as a whole view mental illness as a weakness? We don't view other illnesses as a weakness, but somehow mental illness is viewed as weakness in the eyes of society. There is no wonder why so many people struggle with mental illness in silence. People are afraid to speak up and ask for help out of fear of being judged and labeled. In some cases individuals end up taking their own lives, by then it's a little too late.

I know all too well the struggles that comes with speaking up about my own mental illness. I come from the Caribbean community and the African American community. With the Caribbean and the African American community I experienced indifference and intolerance when I began to speak up about my depression. Breaking my silence was a difficult step in it's self, facing the Caribbean and African American community was an even harder step. Within these communities there is a refusal to accept the existence of mental illness; there is a dismissive attitude towards mental illness in these communities.

I Didn't Ask For This!

My chronic depression was brought on after years of struggling with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to child sexual abuse and mental abuse. Depression was not something that I caused to myself. My traumatic childhood was a direct factor that contributed to my depression. Why should I feel shameful for something that I did not cause?

The only shame is the labels that society uses to condemn individuals that are living with a mental illness. There is no shame in breaking your silence and asking for help. We all have a voice, I am determined to use my voice to help others. I am a survivor and I am not ashamed. Let's talk about it!

I  Am Free!!!

I know that God's plan for my life is to see me thrive in every area of my life. I believe that God does not want me to live in darkness and pain. I plan to live in the freedom and liberty that God wants for me. I will no longer dwell in the darkness of depression. God has made me free, I am not worry about any stigma. Who the LORD has made free is free indeed. I am free! My prayer is that you too find freedom in your truth and healing on the path that God has paved for you. Wishing you good health and happiness!  

                                                                   

                                                                   Cassie

My book: Victory Cometh for You, available on Amazon and Kindle

Trusting God's Sovereign Plan

     When I face Injustice what can I do???


One of the hardest things is to understand why we face injustice. I found myself in distress, trying to figure out why I had gone through such a difficult childhood; the injustice that I experienced in childhood greatly affected my quality of life through adulthood. I really could not understand why this injustice was happening to me and I felt like it was unfair. If there was a God and if he loved me why did he allow this to happen to me? I tormented myself with this question for years. This question had been in my heart, and I wanted to know why me? My heart had become hardened, because I could not see beyond the hurt and the injustice. I was frustrated and angry because it just didn't feel fair that I had to deal with this injustice. I had allowed the hurt from the injustice to take over my life, the injustice became my identity and that was all I knew. Every waking moment I spend thinking about what my life could have been  like if I hadn't experienced this injustice. I found myself unable to move on with my life, because I was unwilling to let go of the hurt. If I wanted healing in my life I would have to forgive my offenders, I would have to let go of the hurt and lastly, I would have to surrender to God and trust his sovereign plan for my life. This was easier said than done!


My Breakthrough Moment

I got the breakthrough that I was looking for while reading the book of Job in the Holy Bible. I was spiritually led to read the entire book of Job as I was praying for a breakthrough. I won't write a summary on the scripture here, I will just point out the lessons I learned from the scripture. 

As I was reading the book of Job I couldn't help being drawn to Job's emotions. I identified with three different emotions in the text. In the beginning of the scripture when Job lost his possessions and his children.The first emotion that I zoned in on was guilt. Job begins to feel guilt, he felt like maybe he had done something wrong to deserve what was happening to him. 

Then when Job is stricken with illness and his friends comes to visit him. The second emotion that Job encounters is shame. Job felt ashamed of what has happened to him especially in the presence of his friends and his friend's judgment makes him feel worse. Job friends see what is happening to him and they accuse him of not being the holy man he claimed to be. They felt like Job had done something wrong to deserve what was happening to him. Job endures the visits and the accusations from his friends. 

Towards the end of text the last emotion that Job goes through is frustration. It's important to know that Job never curses God for what has happened to him. However, he starts to question God about why these things were happening to him. Job felt like he had been a faithful servant to the LORD and the things that were happening to him was a injustice. When God showed up and answered Job that was a powerful moment. God basically let Job know that he can not comprehend his ways. God further let Job know that he is all powerful and all knowing, the world and the universe yield to his will. In the end Job had to repent because he realizes that God's Thoughts are higher than his thoughts. Job repents and God restored him better than he was before. 

This was a teachable moment for me. I could identify with the three emotions that Job went through guilt, shame and frustration. I felt guilt when I was abused, I thought that maybe I had done something wrong to deserve to be abused. I also felt shame, I worried about what people would think of me if they found out about the sexual abuse. I also felt anger, hate and frustration all in one. I hated my offenders and I was angry at them; I was frustrated that God did not stop this injustice that was happening to me. I can identify with the pain that Job felt, but I too had a change of heart and new found respect for God's sovereign will. That question that I once had about why me? just floated away. I realize that God is fair and just, he is sovereign in all his ways. Even though this terrible thing happened to me, I trust him that he would restore my life. I was not willing to go to battle with God about this hurt anymore. I decided to put down my arrows and trust him. I trust him to be my defender and my everything. I no long feel like I need to fight my own battles or carry my own burdens. I show up and do what I can do, and then I trust God to do the rest. God is sovereign; his thoughts, wisdom and power is beyond my way of thinking. Today, I trust God's sovereign plan for my life, and I am excited for the journey he is taking me on. 

Whatever you may be going through right now, trust God to see you through. Wishing you good health and happiness! 


                                                                          Cassie 

Victory Cometh for You available on Amazon and Kindle

Loving The Skin I am In

                                      "Loving The Skin I am In"

God's Love

God loves us unconditionally, to love unconditionally means without limitations. When God look at us he doesn't judge us based on our size, shape, gender, race or social class. Whatever our differences are God see beyond these things. We are beautifully made in his image and we are loved.


Self-Love

Let's be honest!

We can be our own worst enemy when it comes to self-love. Perhaps, we have all been guilty of wanting to look like the models we see in the magazines.There is certainly nothing wrong with having health goals and wanting to look your best, I too have health goals. However, we get into unhealthy territory when we start to compare ourselves to others. I am content and comfortable in knowing that I can love myself while striving to reach my health goals. Most of the time, we do not battle with external issues as much as we battle with internal issues when it comes to self-image. The internal battles that we face can sometimes affect our self-image the most, because whatever we believe or think about ourselves will determine how we treat ourselves.This is not to say that we are unaffected by external influences, external influences are every where and unavoidable. Television, magazines etc... the world is constantly telling us what we should look like. If we live in a environment that does not celebrate us, then perhaps it's up to us to create an environment to celebrate ourselves.It's fair to say that both external and internal influences affect the way we see ourselves. Whatever the case maybe, we are all beautiful, unique and loved.Each of us have something special about us that cannot be duplicated by anyone else. Why should we want to be like someone else, when we have our own special gifts? We are beautiful in our own way, we are not a like, we are not the same but we are all special.


Self-Love Challenge

I would like to propose a "self-love challenge" that I too will take part in. Please do not feel pressured into taking part of this challenge. THIS IS A PRESSURE FREE ZONE!!!

For those of you who would like to take part in the challenge here it is:

I challenge you to look in the mirror and say one thing that you love about yourself. For example: I love my __________ (fill in the blank). I challenge you to do this once a day for 2 days, if you like this challenge and it works for you feel free to add it to your daily routine.

I pray that everyone will feel beautiful and feel loved everyday. As always wishing you good health and happiness.

                                                               - Cassie

BOOK: Victory Cometh for You, available on Amazon and Kindle

The Path Forward

I am staying true to my passion and my vision!!!❤❤❤ 😊👌





My Passion 


As I contemplated my future as a mental health advocate and a child advocate, I wondered where my journey would take me next. Mental health is such a important cause to me, it's something very near and dear to my heart. Child advocacy is also a cause that I am passionate about. After surviving a mental illness and child abuse it became clear to me that being a advocate is my calling. It takes great courage and perseverance to walk on the road less traveled. At first I was very hesitant to embark upon this journey because I knew that the journey would be challenging. In addition to that I wasn't sure if I was ready to share my story with the world. The defining moment for me was when I continued to see countless individuals being affected by mental illness as well as child abuse. I knew that my story was not just for me, there are millions of people going through the same struggles that I did. I wanted to let those people know that they are not alone and there is hope.  I was willing to break my silence and expose my personal struggles so that I can be a voice for the people who are hurting. Whenever I share my story I am also helping myself, when I share my story I feel like I am releasing the pain and the shame that I once felt. Breaking my silence and letting my voice be heard is my way of not allowing the pain and the shame to control my life anymore. I am on a mission to share the good news of healing, awareness and to break the stigmas that are associated with mental illness and child abuse. I have a lot of work ahead of me but I am up for the challenge!!!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
               

                                      👫👫👫                                                                                                       

                                                               "Together we will heal"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             



Standing Together

Often times when we are going through situations we tend to think that we are alone. Our circumstances sometimes try to tell us that we are alone, therefore isolating us from others. During these trying times is when we need to be reminded that we are not alone and someone cares. I know all too well how it feels to be surrounded by people and still feel alone. This is why it's important for me to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. My wish is for everyone to know that they are not alone and that someone understands and cares for them. We will stand together in support and love on our journey to healing. Together we will heal!



The Path Forward 

As I prayerfully considered my next move, God really comforted me and whispered a word of encouragement into my heart. "Don't look to your left and don't look to your right, just do what you love to do" that was his message to me. I don't want to get caught up in distractions that will take me off my path, I just want to focus on the passion that's in my heart. I am running in my own race and I am focused on cultivating my gifts and delivering the good news of hope to the world. In doing so I focus on the mission of hope and healing. I am excited for the transformation that's taking place in my life, and I embrace this journey forward to a brighter future. I pray that everyone in need of love, support and good health will find their way forward.  Wishing you good health and happiness as always.

                                                 

                                                               - Cassie 

My book: Victory Cometh for You is available on Amazon and Kindle

My New Year's Resolution

                             

                             Happy New Year Everyone!!!

So out with the old and in with the new, the struggles of 2016 cannot be compared to the joy that awaits in 2017. Call me an optimist, because I feel so much joy about this year. 

                              

     New Year brings new blessings!                                                         

                                             



Reflection 



Last year my New Year's resolution was to smile and laugh more. Well, let's just say that was put to the test, that resolution wasn't as simple as I thought it would be. I won't count myself out though, because I fought a good fight through the ups and downs. Sometimes it's not about winning or loosing, it's about learning from the journey. The lessons I learned from the journey has made me stronger and wiser. I really don't think it's possible to fail at a New Year's resolution, it's all about choosing to go on the journey and then giving it my best try. The journey has taught me a lot about life and it's taught me a lot about myself. I realize that I am stronger than I thought I was. There is wisdom and strength to be found in the journey! All of the trials and struggles build character, and I am better because of it. When I go about my everyday life, I always look for something to learn from my circumstances. Whether I have a good day or a bad day, I look for the "silver lining" in my journey. There are certain tools that I use to give me comfort and maintain inner peace. My go to is scriptures and I also like to read inspiring quotes. Prayer also gives me great comfort and it help me to stay centered and focused on the important things. Prayer is the anchor that keeps me pushing through the storms of life. I am thankful for the lessons and victories of 2016, now I am ready to embrace the blessings of 2017. I am also excited to make another New Year's resolution to see where the journey takes me. 




My New Year's Resolution




This year my New Year's resolution is to make personal time for myself and to engage in activities that will improve my overall health. Sometimes, I get overwhelmed with the busyness of my life. Don't get me wrong! I love being a wife and mother along with all the other roles I play, but sometimes I just want to be Cassie. I have a tendency to overdo things sometimes, I call this "running around like a chicken with it's head cut off syndrome." After I am done running around overdoing things I feel physically and mentally tired. What am I trying to prove anyway? I am only human! I can be a busy mom and wife and still get in time for myself.  I realize that I have to be healthy and happy before I can serve the people that I love. So this year I will be on a journey of self-care, health and wellness. Maybe, I will join a painting class or maybe I will join a yoga class, the sky is the limit. I am ready to explore the possibilities that awaits me, I am sure that this time of self-care will help me to be a healthier and happier me. I hope that this year will be a great year for you too, wishing you good health and happiness.

                                                                        

                                                                            - Cassie 

My book: Victory Cometh for You is available on Amazon and Kindle