#UnBlockYourself

Phase 10 and Underlying Conditions

Phase 10 and underlying conditions
Phase 10 is a game where everyone playing gets dealt the same amount of cards, and the object is to go through all 10 phases. Some will advance quickly, and some will get stuck in a certain phase while they watch others go to the next phase.
 
What’s interesting is that we are all playing the same game, but we are also playing our own individual games at the same time. Life has us at the table playing together but remember we may be at different phases, so be kind to another’s point of view.
 
In reality, each phase we play will have a few stuck here, and some others stuck at a different phase in their life. But to get through it (life), try to be aware of the underlying conditions, the things that you may need to take care of before going into the next phase.
 
We tend to try to treat the symptoms, instead of taking care of the underlying condition, which is the main problem.
 
Debt - we get 3 jobs, but still fall behind because the increase in income did not take care of how we were spending.
 
Relationships - we jump from relationship to relationship looking for the perfect person, but the underlying condition is that we are imperfect, and when someone points it out to us we blow up and leave them.
 
Substance abuse - we temporarily drown out a problem, when the underlying condition is a whole in our heart that needs to be filled.
 
We have to have a high altitude view of our problems to see the underlying conditions, and dealing with the root of the problems will advance to the next phase quicker, with more power, wisdom, and strong character to handle whatever the next phase holds.
 
So my suggestion is to get with the One who sits high and looks low and ask Him to show you how to take care of things!

Your Role

Your Role
You have a purpose in being here, right here, right now. There is also a reason you are the way that you are.
 
You have a light to shine. Your light comes from your inspired vision for your life, and the gifts and talents that came along with your dreams to help you accomplish them.
 
Whatever you have to offer, pursue it aggressively, do not let it fade into a “I wish I had...”. You’ve been given a light or better yet a gift to share, and this helps the world go ‘round.
 
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
Romans 12:6-8 NIV
 
We all have an opinion on what the world needs, but the a fact is that the world needs you! Your gift, your voice! 

Parental Influence

Parental Influence
Many of us parents think that we are not heard.
The kids listen, but not to what you say, but to who you are.
Have you ever thought about how much you listened to what your parents told you? You may remember talks, but I’ll bet that what you really heard was their character in action.
 
I can’t remember my mom ever telling me to help anyone, but I would always spring into action if i could because that was something she has always done herself. Growing up, even until I moved from Atlanta, people would always say, “Your mom helped me get my job, or, your mom helped me so much and I’m so thankful for her…” I still hear it my mind how proud I was to be her son, and how I want to make people feel that way too.
 
My Dad has the personality that no matter who is in the room, he was the smartest, most influential, strategist in the building. He didn’t have to say much, but when he speaks even today, you feel like he just upgraded your thought processes, and I want to do the same for people.
 
And again, I can’t ever think of a time either of them sitting me down and saying, you should be this way or believe this way, who they were influenced me to be the way I am.
 
“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou
 
“People don’t buy what you do, they buy into why you do it” - Simon Sinek
 
Kids in my opinion have this view of us too.

Stretching

Stretching
Babies stretching:
To get infants to crawl or move towards an object they want, the object is placed just out of reach so they have to stretch towards it to get it. They cannot stay still if they want to get what they want. Also, they will to keep their eyes on the object as they do whatever they can to move towards it.
 
The way I was seeing it, God would be the parent with object being the life He would love for us to have. We are the baby who gives it our all to obtain this treasure, and although it seems just out of reach, if we move towards it, eventually we will grab hold of that goal.
 
Stretch marks:
pregnancy, weight gain in obesity, growth spurts in teenagers, medication side effects, or a rapid increase in muscle size through weightlifting are all common causes of the skin being expanded greater than its elasticity.
 
In this, the way I saw it, our comfortable life is like the skin. When we start to grow in knowledge, self esteem, character, integrity, our positive mindset, our current comfortable life cannot contain it, it has to stretch, stretch beyond its comfort zone, and those stretch marks left behind shows that you are not the same person you were before, and you have the scars to prove it.
 
Do what you can to stretch today.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. All you have is today, so let’s make the most of it.

The Hole Lesson

The Hole Lesson
There once was a man who would walk home after work and he would take a shortcut through a very dark alley.
 
One night he as he walked down the ally he fell into a hole. After calling for help, someone rescued him.
 
The next night on his way home he found the ally blocked. He knew why. Because of the hole. He thought to himself, “that’s good they blocked the street, it is dangerous! But I need to get home, and I know that the hole is there.” So he went down the ally. What he didn’t know was that the hole had gotten a little larger. So, he fell in.  After calling for help, someone came and rescued him.
 
The next night, he saw the signs, and he decided to take another route home.
 
A month later, he said to himself, “surely they would have fixed that hole by now”, and decided to take his old path.
 
The signs were still there, and he couldn’t believe it. “This is ridiculous” he said as he walked past the cones. The hole had gotten a lot bigger, and he immediately fell in and died.
I guess the man never got “the hole lesson”
 
Learn “The Hole Lesson”
Life causes us to walk in a world of darkness, but we are instructed to walk by faith and not by sight.
We are to be guided by His light, and if we walk after His light, we will also become light.
 
The hole represents traps or pitfalls set in our way that we cannot see unless we are walking in the light.
If we continue to fall in eventually it will snuff out the little light that we have.
 
Many of us are saved from the traps, but if we are not careful, will return to it thinking that a different outcome will work out for us, but just as before, the hole is still the hole, and we need to learn from “the hole lesson”.

Breaking Chains

Breaking Chains
What’s holding you down?
Are you soaring as high as you can go?
Or do you feel something holding you, and you just can’t seem to break free from it?
 
Even as I’m writing this I’m having doubts on what I’m doing, if things are working, or if I need to change this or that, but I’m reminded of a few of things I’m learning from Les Brown:
“life has no limitations, except the ones you make.”
“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.”
 
Our mindset is key in the way think of ourselves, our purpose, and how successful we can be in accomplishing our callings in life.
See yourself through the eyes of the creator, and you’ll see how essential you are to where you’ve been placed.
Another thing what we need to stop doing is going to outside sources to tell us how we should live our own lives.
 
“Do not let someone else’s opinion of you become your reality.” -Les Brown
Along those lines too, do not let the insecurities and desires of other people try to push you into places you do not want to go.
 
Stay in control. Stay prayed up. Keep that beautiful positive attitude about yourself because you are the best you that there ever will be!

Vision Living

Vision Living
Raise your standards by actively living out the vision version of you.
 
In your vision of yourself,
What kind of clothes do you wear?
How do you speak?
How do you serve others?
How do you show love?
How much do you weigh?
What do you do to grow?
What’s one thing this image of you does to be happy and recharge?
 
What we are doing is working out our vision from the inside out. If you could answer any of the questions, make it happen! You’ll be bringing your vision closer and closer as you live out your dream.

Your People and Your Purpose

Your people and your purpose
You are where you are to influence your surroundings with the light of your purpose.
 
That means where you are, where you were born, all of your experiences (good or bad), the people in your area, who your friends are, even your not-so-friendly people, are to encounter your purpose.
 
Your purpose is your gift you will share to accomplish your visions, missions, and reach the heights God has called you to go.
And the people in your circle of influence are also called or drawn to experience it.
 
It’s no accident you are the way you are.
 
Your purpose, vision, mission, are all a part of your being, and this is your light.
 
“See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
Isaiah 60:2-3 NIV
 
““You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
 
This light you have is your purpose, and is placed where it is in this day and time on purpose!