#but I’ve done it and June isn’t done and therefore I am a huge success

[tallfroggieart]

AGH HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!!! (ft., ofc, our favorite ot3)

[rivalsforlife]

AA7 Speculation Post: One Year Later

here we go again.

A year and a day ago, I made a speculation post about if/when we’d ever be seeing AA7. Obviously, my claim that AA7 would be announced in September 2020 did not turn out to be true, but later that year we did get a leaked calendar containing information on the new ports for Chronicles, and also plans for a new aa7, which I summarized in this post.

Now that we have Chronicles we can verify that the leaks contained legitimate information (as if a statement from Capcom saying they were hacked wasn’t legitimate enough). So that leaves us with one key question: is AA7 still happening? If so, when can we expect it? As well, what other information from the leaked calendar can we consider, especially with early sales data on Chronicles? In addition, what are the implications of this new survey on Chronicles from Capcom?

All of that will be discussed under the cut so that this doesn’t take up too much space.

Revisiting The Calendar

Once again, here is a rough translation of the calendar that was present in the leaks:

As a note, in this post, I’ll be referring to our new games as “Chronicles” to prevent this from being blocked by people avoiding spoilers.

So: this original calendar, generated before the pandemic, had Chronicles releasing in Q1 of FY2021 - and it’s also important to note that in Japan, each fiscal year starts in April 1st, so FY2021 is actually April-June 2021. This shows that Chronicles was pushed back about a quarter from their expected release date. However, Chronicles was a port of already existing games, therefore somewhat less work was needed on them - upscaling models and textures, adding in some new features like autoplay and story mode, and of course, the English translation and voicework were needed, which is still a lot of course, but less compared to development on an entirely new game. In addition to that, the pandemic hit AA7 in its early development stage, assuming this schedule was still being followed by the time the pandemic hit. That could cause more delays than expected.

So the original plan was for AA7 to be released in Q3 of 2021, which corresponds to October-December, aligning with the 20th anniversary of the series in October. While it’s a desirable goal, it’s quite likely the pandemic pushed it back at least a quarter, if not more, if not cancelled it entirely. ... haha.

We’ll only know the fate of AA7 for certain when it’s announced. Which it is possible it may never be. However, I have two theories for, if AA7 is getting an announcement, when it will be:

1) Sometime during September 2021, either in the leadup to or during Tokyo Game Show this year. These are for the same reasons as I outlined in my initial speculation post. It’s a popular time for Ace Attorney game announcements, after all. TGS, according to what I can find, will be held online this year from September 30th to October 3rd. If Capcom announces AA7 earlier in September through Famitsu, like they did with AA6 for example, then we can expect to get some information during TGS... 

2) Sometime during a 20th Anniversary Event, possibly in October 2021. I’m assuming AA is planning something for the 20th anniversary - Chronicles wasn’t really marketed as a 20th anniversary release, for instance. If they can’t release a new game for the 20th anniversary (which at this rate, seems unlikely, as we’re about two months out from that with no word about it) then an announcement would be just as good at generating hype for it.

Naturally, if we reach this time next year with absolutely no news on AA7, it’s probably safe to say it’s been cancelled or at least delayed so severely that anything we currently know about it isn’t worth much.

There’s one more point of interest on the calendar: reconsidering the porting of 456. I feel that this depends heavily on how well the Chronicles ports are doing; if it’s not financially viable to keep porting games, then why bother? So, let’s take a look at that.

The Success of Chronicles

As I write this, it’s about two and a half weeks since the release of Chronicles worldwide. So... how did the games do? It’s a bit hard to tell, especially as I am not a game marketer and don’t know the expectations for Chronicles. What is obvious is that, if Chronicles does much better than expected, porting 456 and possibly even the investigations games seems likely. (If Chronicles, indeed, does especially well in the West, than a porting of the investigations games and localization of investigations 2 after ten years could very well be possible.) If Chronicles does absolutely terribly, it damages the chances of porting, and possibly of continuing the series. If it does terribly especially in the West, where the games are essentially new, it could damage the chances of any new games being localized at all.

So, a lot is riding on this, and I don’t know enough to tell how well it did. Here’s what I have found, however:

Nintendo Enthusiast reports on Famitsu sales of Switch games, and overall thinks it’s not doing so great. Chronicles ranks third on the list of Switch sales in its first week, with 14,460 units sold, over 4000 less than NEO: The World Ends With You, which was released on July 27th. Keep in mind that Chronicles was released in Japan on July 29th, which is two days later, and that these are only Japanese sales (where they’ve had Chronicles for years on both mobile and 3DS) and only Switch sales, where NEO:TWEWY is currently only available on Switch and PS4 (Chronicles has the additional platform of Steam, where there could be many more sales). In the next week, Chronicles ranked 22 overall, with NEO:TWEWY at 23, though of course they’re still a little less than 4000 units behind NEO:TWEWY overall. Slightly closing the gap, I guess.  

How about overseas data, then? ... It’s hard to tell. I can find this report from gamespot which discusses the top 20 games sold in the US in July, and Chronicles is not on the list, while NEO:TWEWY is at 16. However, they don’t give any number for the units sold, and it seems that they aren’t considering digital sales for a lot of them, so it’s hard to tell how much of a hit that is.

However, let’s go back to Japanese sales for a bit, and look at the 2019 Trilogy re-release for a comparison against Chronicles. Allegedly, combined Switch and PS4 sales in the first week of the trilogy’s release only amounted to about 8000 units, a little more than half that of Chronicles’ Switch sales. It’s also important to note that the 2019 trilogy ended up being the only ace attorney game to sell over a million copies. Ace Attorney is not a big series; I’m sure Capcom takes this into account when considering sales data, especially for ports. If Chronicles does end up doing better than the trilogy overall, it’s definitely looking good for ports and especially so for Chronicles.

However, there’s more to this than just sales data.

The Survey

Capcom now has a user survey for Chronicles, which you can answer even if you’re partway through the first game. I believe it’s only open until September 30 2021, so if you think you can finish the game before then, I’d recommend filling it out once you’re done so that you can give the best feedback.

It asks you a bunch of questions like what platform you bought it on, why you bought it, your expectations, and all sorts of detailed questions on the various mechanics, difficulty and enjoyment of the trials and investigations, satisfaction of visuals, plot, characters, music, and even free response sections for what you liked and disliked about the game. It’s a very detailed survey that’s pretty long but I think is worth filling out. At the end they ask you to fill out some demographic questions (such as age, gender (male, female, other), country, what kind of things you like to spend money on, and what kind of games you like, what platforms you have to play games on). But what’s possibly the most interesting question is this:

“If a new [Chronicles] game is released in the future, do you think you would buy it?”

This means that, depending on the answers to the survey, they could very well decide to work on a third game to Chronicles.

This has huge implications for the future of the series. I’ll probably make a separate post on plot-related stuff later, but for now... let’s talk about logistics.

In my initial AA7 speculation post I said I highly doubted that they would ever make another Chronicles game. I also said that they probably never would be localized, so, guess who’s a clown now. 

Right now the AA series is in a bit of a dry period, with no new games having been released in the last four years. As well, with Yamazaki (the director of the investigations games and AA5/6) having left Capcom, the next director of the mainline games is completely unknown. As described in this video, the main reason Chronicles ever came about was because Capcom went ahead with mainline AA5 before Takumi could come back from the Layton crossover. Now, since 2017, we don’t really know what Takumi is working on. It’s possible he’s gone back to mainline to work on AA7 (though of course, there is absolutely no evidence suggesting that he has, so definitely don’t take that as any sort of confirmation).

However, if we do get a Chronicles 3, it’s quite likely Takumi would return to work on that, as he directed the previous two games. In addition, if Chronicles ends up being such a success to completely eclipse mainline (from what I’ve heard, though I have no serious proof, Resolve is considered as highly rated as T&T by many Japanese fans) then the series could permanently go down the road of writing more Chronicles games, leaving mainline stagnant (which, let’s be real, it’s already stagnating). The success of that is uncertain considering how neatly our current Chronicles duology wraps up, but... we’ll have to see how things unfold in the future.

For now, I highly recommend filling out the survey to give your input to the series’ future directions. Maybe mention that you want localized investigations 2 somewhere in the free response section because uhh I forgot to do it in mine. do that for me.

TL;DR

Main takeaways from this post are:

- I personally expect an AA7 announcement either during TGS or a 20th anniversary event

- If Chronicles does extremely well, then 456 ports are likely to happen, and I personally speculate investigations ports (along with localized investigations 2) will as well.

- Fill out this Chronicles survey before September 30th to give your input on the games and possibly the future direction of the series. I recommend completing the games before you do, but if you think you won’t before September 30th, you can fill it out at any time.

- We Very Well May Get Another Chronicles Game. Who saw that coming. Not me.

Thanks if you read through all of this, let’s hope September/October doesn’t leave me looking like a fool again.

[mirk-eaves]

Choosing a Vet School

I had to choose between my two acceptances before the April 15th national deadline between Michigan State University and Long Island University. Below, I’ve outlined my pros and cons list for each school, which ultimately helped me make the ultimate decision.

Michigan State University:

Pros: 

Well-established and reputable veterinary school

Has own veterinary college infrastructure and teaching hospital

Reduced tuition starting this incoming year making tuition cheaper than Long Island University

I get to live on my own (as someone who really enjoys my independence from my family, this is huge)

Support group in Ann Arbor, a mile away (my lab, Ann Arbor friends)

Current students seem immensely happy and feel supported by their faculty and administration

Dedicated resources for vet students such as library, student space, psychologist, social services, financial help, clubs/student orgs

New curriculum: flipped classroom seems like a method in which I would thrive. I really like the idea and it excites me to learn body systems one at a time rather than all at once. I feel like I would succeed better in that kind of environment.

High NAVLE pass rate: historically the pass rates has been from 95% to 98%

Highly ranked: vet school rankings honestly do not matter, but it does give me a sense of pride and accomplishment to attend the 3rd best veterinary school in the United States, ranked 8th in the world (according to the QS 2020 ranking)

As an out-of-state student, if you commit to working in Michigan for one year after you graduate, the college refunds you the cost difference between the out of state and instate tuition for your fourth year, which is HUGE. They just give you a check, no strings attached, and you can just do whatever you want with it. They say some people pay their student loan with it, some people just go buy a car with it, literally that money is yours!

Support system from upperclassmen: there are established classes already at the school that I would be able to reach out for support, advice, and mentorship.

As I’ve been living and working in Michigan for the past three years out of undergrad, I can apply for in-state residency, which would significantly lower my tuition, if approved by the registrar (cross my fingers)

Lots of opportunities to engage in research, clubs/organizations, study abroad, etc.

Professors seem to really enjoy teaching and engage with the students to succeed. According to current students, they are accessible and supportive beyond just the academic sphere.

According to students, once you are in the school, the school tries really hard to make sure you succeed and don’t fail out.

Big sib/little sib and “houses” mentorship and bonding

Cons:

out of state tuition used to be one of the highest in the country (BUT pro: has been recently reduced for the incoming class!!!!)

Michigan. I talked about this more in my Michigan State University interview post. Basically I kind of want to move out of Michigan for personal reasons, but beggars cannot be choosers, and ultimately this really isn’t a big deal in the long run.

Long Island University:

Pros:

Close to my family on Long Island (~25 minutes away) so established support group in the area

I can commute to school, which saves money on high living expenses on Long Island

New school so can establish modernized curriculum and culture, without being bogged down by “historical” culture.

Honestly, a new, clean slate to establish culture, organizations, leaderships, and other opportunities.

New facilities being built mean state-of-the-art and modern technologies and commodities (usually), but I’m a firm believer of “show, not tell” and as this university has not actually built their facility yet, refer to the second and third bullet point of the “cons” list about this.

Cons:

I’d live with my family on Long Island (lol - I love my family, but we get along better when we have our own space)

Does not currently have a dedicated veterinary school/facility or teaching hospital. It seems like they have plans to build a veterinary school, but haven’t done so, yet. They have plans to start building in June, but I am hesitant to confidently think they would be able to have a fully functional and safe building by the start of term in August, especially now that there is COVID-19 hitting Long Island and that part of the island particularly hard. 

No plans to build a teaching hospital which means all clinical rotations will be off-site and done in partnerships with clinics/institutions around Long Island. I know some schools already do this and it works for them (ie: Lincoln Memorial University), but I am not personally a fan of this method because I feel like there would be inconsistencies with clinical assessment and evaluation and therefore would be difficult to normalize for each student. Also, I’ve heard some horror stories of partnerships falling through and students having to commute long distances just for a rotation, that’s not supposed to be an externship.

It was difficult to communicate with the school about the resources or opportunities they have available to students. They never really had a Q/A or informational session. It was difficult to determine how much support the administration and faculty provide for their students. How invested are they to our personal and professional success?

EXTREMELY confusing application process. This might be just because it was the first time they are taking in a class for their vet school and it will hopefully improve in the future, but the experience for me and many other applicants according to student doctor network have been awfully convoluted. I was one of the lucky ones that applied early and therefore the process wasn’t bad for me at all, to be honest, but for other applicants, it was very nebulous and it makes me doubtful of the college’s ability to communicate and treat their students at the same level as a more established school that already has their administration down pat.

I reflected and contemplated a lot about the different aspects of each school that made me excited and hesitant to attend there. Read more below to see which school I chose!

I’ve decided to become a Spartan at Michigan State University! :) Go Green!!!!

[zukalations]

Flower Troupe Top Star Asumi Rio’s retirement press conference

So you know how I said I wasn’t going to post on Fridays for a while unless there was a major news event...

This article was published on Sankei West on March 13, 2019. Check the original article for photos.

Flower Troupe Top Star Asumi Rio’s retirement press conference

Takarazuka Revue Flower Troupe Top Star Asumi Rio, who announced that she would be retiring as of November 24, held a press conference in Osaka on the 13th. Asumi declared “I’ve come to love Takarazuka even more. Until the very end, I want to continue to develop as the otokoyaku I always yearned to be, and give everything I have onstage to make Flower Troupe an even better troupe.” During the press conference, despite tearing up many times, she looked forward with determination.

Asumi, who was wearing a pure white pants suit, was in tears from her first greeting. “Thank you so much for coming today, everyone,” she said, her voice shaking.

She is retiring after a long 5 and a half year period as Top Star. She said that the truth was “the junior actresses are all giving their all, too. I felt from early on that if I stayed there forever it might make everyone feel a bit awkward.”

Around that time, she was able to have her greatest experience as an actor with her highly acclaimed role in last year’s The Poe Family. “I just gave myself over to the role, and somehow naturally it felt like the whole troupe was moving forward together. I feel like [my character of] Edgar might have miraculously let me calm down and look at the rest of the troupe. I thought ‘They’ll be okay even if I’m not here’,” she said.

At the same time, her performance partner, Senna Ayase, who will be retiring as of April 28th, informed her of her intentions to retire. Therefore, she determined to see Senna off before her own retirement. “I think there are fans who would have wanted the two of us to retire together. But since she really did so much for me--” her voice became choked with tears. “Like the other musumeyaku who have been by my side supporting me until now, I wanted her to be the star and sparkle in her farewell show, and I wanted to send her off like a princess. I was so happy to see her like that.”

She informed her comrades in the troupe on March 10th, the day before the final [Takarazuka Grand Theatre] performance of CASANOVA. Since she had been in the position for so long, “I’m sure everyone felt like it was coming sooner or later, so most likely it didn’t come as that much of a surprise, but when I told them everyone cried…” she said, starting to cry again as she remembered. “It made me happy that they would cry so much for me. I felt so much love for them I could hardly bear it.”

She revealed her plans to her classmate and Top Star of Snow Troupe, Nozomi Fuuto, at the time of last year’s Takarazuka Special in December. “[I told her] since it was a dressing room for just the two of us. I started crying…” she said, thinking back.

Director of the Takarazuka Revue, Ogawa Yuuji, who joined Asumi at the press conference, said “She has such grace, and personality, and such an ability to attract customers. As Top Star, she had her 9 shows in the Grand Theatre over 100% audience capacity, which is unprecedented in the history of Takarazuka. We are very grateful to her for working so hard in such a dainty body,” he said, praising her as the Top Star who promoted ‘the Takarazuka of the New Century’. Asumi smiled, saying “It’s not just because of my efforts. I’ll pass that message on to the rest of the girls in the troupe.”

Asumi is from Shizuoka. She had her debut in the 15th year of Heisei [2003], and was assigned to Moon Troupe. She quickly attracted attention due to her handsome appearance and high vocal skills, and had her first Bow Hall lead role and junior performance lead role in Heisei 20 [2008]. In Heisei 24 [2012], when her classmate Ryuu Masaki was appointed Top Star, she became ‘demi-Top Star’. She exchanged lead roles in the Grand Theatre with Ryuu during performances.

In Heisei 25 [2013] she was transferred to Flower Troupe. In Heisei 26 [2014] she became Top Star of Flower Troupe. She evolved even further as an otokoyaku. Possessing both a unique dainty, fairylike beauty, as well as the traditional manliness of Flower Troupe, she created a new model for the Takarazuka otokoyaku. In Heisei 27 [2015] she starred in the Revue’s second tour of Taiwan, and last year [2018] the first stage adaptation of The Poe Family was a great success. Soon, in June of this year, she will star in the Revue’s first production in the Yokahama Arena.

As Top Star of Flower Troupe, she declared that the ‘little hard things’ she had experienced “all became put towards the future performances, and helped me become who I am now.” A huge turning point for her was her transfer in Heisei 25. “Leaving Moon Troupe, where I was raised, was really painful,” she said, her voice shaking as tears began to fall. However, immediately afterwards, “when I came to Flower Troupe, and became a Flower Troupe Otokoyaku, being able to work hard since I thought ‘I need to become a performer who isn’t an embarrassment as Top Star of Flower Troupe’...” She wiped her tears again and looked upwards. “I think that was the happiest thing in my Takarazuka life,” she said.

During her time as ‘demi-Top’ of Moon Troupe, she performed alternate lead roles in the Grand Theatre. “I was able to approach the same show from multiple angles. And since I worked so hard then, I gained the inner strength to be able to feel like any little thing was alright,” she said. She said she also was able to experience how great then-Moon Troupe Top Star Ryuu was. “I’m really grateful to her,” she said.

After her retirement, she said “I will have to look for a job. Since otherwise I won’t be able live,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t have a license, so I would like to go to driving school,” she said with a smile. Upon being asked the customary question about whether she had plans to marry, she burst into a smile. “I don’t have any knowledge on that front yet.”

It turns out that some time ago, she had a palm reading done in Taiwan. “They told me that I had a lot of marriage lines. But I think that since I had so many wives [performance partners] in Takarazuka, I must have used them all up.” She smiled thinking back on the 4 performance partners she has had in her time as Top Star: Ranno Hana, Kano Maria, Senna, and Hana Yuuki.

Finally, she addressed her fans, saying “Since all of you were there, I was able to do my best to become a wonderful otokoyaku and try to show you different sides of myself. I’m full of gratitude.”

Her retirement performance will be A Fairy Tale—Spirit of the Blue Rose (writer/director: Ueda Keiko) / CHARME! (creator/director: Inaba Daichi). The performance will run in the Takarazuka Grand Theatre from August 23 to September 30, and in the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre from October 18 to November 24.

[measuringlife]

Measuring Me: Goal Setting

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a goal oriented person. However it wasn’t until last year when I was working with my life coach that I got into the habit of writing and reflecting on them. We had weekly and daily goal exercises, I’ve maintained the weekly goal setting and reflection practice. The great thing about writing and record your goals is that you can go back to read them! So here’s a look at my very first weekly goal writing session on July 1, 2018, prompts in bold and my reflection a year later in italics. 

Make a list of 10-15 goals you would like to achieve THIS WEEK. Make them positive, present tense, and specific. Remember these are goals for the week, not months from now. So think of these as the smallest action steps that will drive you FORWARD the quickest. This is about setting yourself up for a win. 1. Log my overtime work hours to prepare to present to my boss at the end of peak season - DID, having comp time in the fall helped me make myself, my goals, Measuring Life a priority 2. Add google analytics to my website - DID 3. Categorize tumblr blog posts - DID 4. Work out at least 4 times - Likely Did, still track workouts 5. Share my blog/instagram with 2 more people I know in real life - DID, still continue to share 6. Check in with my graphic designer friend regarding my new logo/visual brand - DID, launched the logo on NYE 7. Pick up new chromebook - DID, having a computer that isn’t my “work” computer has also helped give me separation 8. Buy and set paper planner and set up a google calendar for my personal life/side hustle - DID, this was a game changer more on that below 9. Buy a bulletin board, note books, office supplies for home office - DID, however only used the home office for a few months since we started using the guest room for AirBNB in October 10. Post 1 video of me on Measuring Life accounts - Did it in August, I post video on occasion, but despite my broadcast journalism degree I prefer writing when it comes to being vulnerable 11. Listen to at least 2 of Dan's podcast episodes - DID, still keeping current on his podcasts and other social media channels for continued inspiration and motivation 12. Rewatch the portion of last week's bonus call where I had my talk time with Dan - DID, watching myself dig and be vulnerable on a video call was odd, but also beautiful. I’ve re-watched a few recording video calls where I’ve gotten emotional and I learned to give myself some grace and understand that change happens when you stop doing the things you’ve always done - in my case being extremely guarded and private 13. Journal at least 3 times this week - Likely Did, I try and write in my paper journal weekly, but such is life sometimes it more often or less often, but there hasn’t been too much of a lapse between writing since I got back to my journaling practice

Which is the one goal that will help all of the others happen? Buy and set paper planner and set up a google calendar for my personal life/side hustle.

For too long I relied on my work outlook calendar to keep all my things, but I really need to separate work from home. As a long time paper journal person, I’ve come to find my paper planner as another type of journal, especially after I made the switch to a passion planner in January 2019. I still can’t get into google calendar, but I use google docs to track all my side hustles (pet sitting, AirBNB, fitness instructor) including dates and income generation to keep everything in order, but also to keep a catalog/record. 

What has to happen for these goals to be done? I need to make the time to get to the stores to pick up/purchase items. I need to make the time to set up a calendar as well as have focused time in my office to do so. 

Making time was the key, which really means making me a priority. I tend to make everything else a priority, work, other people, social media, television, etc. I still have to actively choose my goals and dreams when it comes to my time. My people pleasing/fixer tendencies will always be there, but for me the awareness is key.

Why are these goals so important to you? I want a public medium to share my story of trauma, failures, successes and connect with others with similar stories. I felt so much shame and isolation over the years for just being me and I'm learning how to break through that and I think the sooner people can push through the shame and isolation the better for them and for all. 

This is still true, I came into this my coaching program at a crossroads and a place of self-loathing. I’ve learned to love myself including all my flaws and defects of character (a line from my 12 step program). I still want to share what I’ve overcome, but now I’m more focused on the present and the future. Living in the present isn’t always something I’m very good at, but I’m trying to live less and less in the past. 

What would you gain by achieving these goals? I would be vulnerable, but living authentically and building connections with people - both the people I know, think I know, or have yet to know. 

This has been one of the highlights of the past year, developing deeper relationships with people and meeting new people who I have connected with on a deep level. I’ve also started to let go of the relationships that are no longer serving me.

What risks will you have to take by achieving these goals? Being vulnerable and open to judgment. Reducing my day job hours/stress levels. 

I did these things and no one died! If people are judging me that’s fine, but it hasn’t been something I’ve seen or heard and honestly at this point if I did read or hear something negative I know I’d be okay because I have enough people lifting me up. When it comes to work, the work never ends. It’s about priorities and focus. I know I’ve set more attainable work goals as opposed to pushing myself harder than what is expected which has been a previous pattern. I take my lunch hour, I leave at 5 unless there is a meeting or program that requires me to stay. I’ve taken my sick and vacation days on top of comp time. 

What will get in the way of these goals? Procrastination or trying to do too much too soon and therefore getting overwhelmed. Not managing my time or wasting time.

THIS, this still gets in my way. I am way more aware, but I still love the rush that comes with procrastination or being too ambitious. 

Why haven't you achieved these goals already? What stopped you before? Time - I tend to run full speed ahead doing 10,000 things at once and burning the candle at both ends or I'm laaaaaaaaaaazy and have the motivation to do anything. 

This is tied to the last one, I am still very much an all or nothing kind of person. My planner helps me see this a bit more, so I actually try to schedule in “nothing” time. Ultimately I aim for more balance and alignment in a week, but more likely than not in any given month I have 3 crazy busy weeks and then a really chill low key week. I’ve learned not to feel guilty for “lazy bones” weekends as I’ve called them.  

What will you do differently now? Since last September I began managing my time better: actually taking my 1 hour lunch break to workout/walk/meet someone for lunch, setting a Fitbit alarm at 4:40pm each work day so I could wind down for the day and actually leave the office at 5pm. I packed my gym clothes the night before and changed before leaving work so I could go right from the office to the gym. I really found my stride in doing this from January 2018-mid June 2018. Currently in my intense peak work season, but want to quickly get back on track as soon as mid-July gets here. 

Yes, all of these things I’ve kept up with these good habits and thankfully after my peak summer season last year I was able to get back on track. I’m looking forward to getting back on track after this summer’s peak season. 

Is there anything I can do now to make achieving these goals easier?  The biggest thing in my control is sleeping. I can't function off 5 hours of actual sleep and since I currently need to be up at 5:30am most days I need to make sure I'm in bed by 10pm. I also need to continue to journal/blog to stay accountable. 

Sleep hygiene has been such a priority for me this year. Starting in September I began charging my phone away from my bed. I first started charging it in another room - where I could still hear the alarm, but as I got better about not “needing” the phone next to the bed I now charge it across the bedroom, but still not next to the bed. I also keep it face down so I don’t see the screen light up from the bed. I strive for 8 hours of sleep each night, however, in January I stopped wearing my Fitbit to track my sleep because I found the data to no longer be helpful. I often would wake up feeling refreshed, but if the fitbit data didn’t back it up then I’d mentally feel less refreshed. As mentioned personal accountability also is really important for my goal setting and self-care. Writing my weekly goals and reflecting on them each week, managing my time with a paper planner, weigh-ins/measurements, budgeting and finances, etc all of this has made a huge difference and my momentum is only growing. 

I am thankful to be where I am today and excited to see where I’ll be a year from now!

[gcdanielle]

My Thoughts on the 2019 ACM Nominees...

The nominees for the 54th Annual Academy of County Music Awards were announced earlier this week. All nominations are in regards to the artists’ radio play, single and album releases, tours, vocal appearances, songwriting, etc in 2019. **This is something I always have to refresh my brain on because every award show has different criteria and cutoff dates, which is why so many artists seem to get snubbed every few years - or some year after year after year. Please take the following with a grain of salt because we all have a difference of opinions on new artists and what country music is...

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES Jason Aldean - Luke Bryan - Kenny Chesney - Chris Stapleton - Keith Urban

I fully agree with Jason. I’ve seen him numerous times and his shows are extremely lively. I love Luke, but I forgot that he even toured last year since he’s been on American Idol. Kenny always has my vote, his stadium tours are out of this world. I love Chris, I really do, but I don’t see him as an entertainer. I honestly haven’t seen him in concert because I’d rather see him in a smoky dive bar than an arena. I’ve always been a fan of Keith. I saw him open up for Kenny in 2003, but I feel like he’s been on a decline the past few years. 

You know who isn’t on a decline though? Eric Church. He may not have gone on his own tour last year but he still played a lot of festivals. I often wonder if anyone on the nominating committee has even seen him live? His 2017 and 2019 tours have both been only him, no opening acts. 3+ hours of straight Eric Church. And this year he’s playing two shows per city every weekend. He better be an ETOY nominee in 2020. 

FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Miranda Lambert - Ashley McBryde - Maren Morris - Kacey Musgraves - Carrie Underwood

I know we’re supposed to look at artistry here, but I’ve lost all respect for Miranda. But since we are looking at artistry, I can’t get on board with Kacey. I know Ashley has been in the background for awhile, but she’s still so new to the forefront. I have loved every single Maren has released since she came on the scene. But Carrie is always my #1, mainly because we’re dopplegangers. 

MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Dierks Bentley - Luke Combs - Thomas Rhett - Chris Stapleton - Keith Urban

You already know my thoughts on Keith and Chris. I am a fan of Thomas and I’d be okay with him winning but I love this new sound that Dierks has going on. It look me a minute to get used to Burning Man, but now I’m obsessed with the song. However, Luke Combs is the real winner here. He is on fire, so successful with everything he puts out, but is still so down to earth at the same time. Luke Combs is most deserving of this award. 

DUO OF THE YEAR Brothers Osborne - Dan + Shay - FGL - LOCASH - Maddie & Tae

Maddie & Tae fell off the face of the earth after their one hit wonder and I don’t think they’re quite back enough to win this award. Same with LOCASH, even though I’m seeing them in two months, they’ve been kinda laying low too. I’m an original fan of FGL (back when it was Baby You’re Like a Song) so obviously I want them to win most, but I’d be good with BO or D+S too, in that order. 

GROUP OF THE YEAR Lady Antebellum - LANCO - Little Big Town - Midland - Old Dominion

Has Lady A done anything this year? I thought they were trying out solo paths? I wasn’t a fan of LBT until they released Pontoon, and I’ve found myself drifting away from them again once that song slid back down the charts. I think a lot of Midland like I do Kacey Musgraves, I just can’t get into their vibes. LANCO is still fresh, I can only recall one song of theirs. So I have to go with Old Dominion. Everything they touch turns to gold and their music videos are hilarious. 

NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Danielle Bradbery - Lindsay Ell - Ashley McBryde - Carly Pearce

Danielle won The Voice in 2013, therefore she is not new. Lindsay started getting radio play in 2014 so she is also not new. Ashley and Carly both started releasing singles to radio in 2017 so they are the only two who really qualify for this category. My vote goes with Carly, who has seen more radio spins and touring. 

NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR Jimmie Allen - Luke Combs - Jordan Davis - Michael Ray - Mitchell Tenpenny

I kinda want to say Michael because it would be cute for the couple to win new artists, but he’s been around since 2015. And even though I’m a huge fan of Luke, his journey, and his simplicity, Hurricane came out in 2016. Even though Jordan is still pretty fresh, Jimmie & Mitchell are the only artists to have put out their first radio single in 2018. I met both of them at Party in the Park, and while I love that Mitchell has written for one of my favorites, I’ve gotta go with Jimmie.

NEW DUO OR GROUP OF THE YEAR High Valley - LANCO - Runaway June

This is a hard one. High Valley has been around in Canada for a very long time and started seeing airplay in the US in 2012. LANCO has been around for a few years but didn’t release their first full album till 2018. I have to go with Runaway June though. They’re the newest of the old and they have John Wayne’s granddaughter. 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR Dan + Shay – Dan + Shay Desperate Man – Eric Church From A Room: Volume 2 – Chris Stapleton Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves The Mountain – Dierks Bentley

To be honest, the only albums I’ve listened to (aka have had the desire to listen to) are Desperate Man and The Mountain so I’d be okay with either of them winning. 

SINGLE OF THE YEAR - Goes to the Artist "Down to the Honky Tonk" – Jake Owen "Heaven" – Kane Brown "Meant To Be" – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line "Most People Are Good" – Luke Bryan "Tequila" – Dan + Shay

Since Single of the Year is presented to the artist, I like to pick the most fun, most entertaining song. So this one goes to Jake Owen. 

SONG OF THE YEAR - Goes to the Songwriter "Break Up In The End" – Cole Swindell Writers: Jessie Jo Dillon / Chase McGill / Jon Nite "Broken Halos" – Chris Stapleton Writers: Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton "Meant To Be" – Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line Writers: David Garcia, Tyler Hubbard, Joshua Miller, Bebe Rexha "Space Cowboy" – Kacey Musgraves Writers: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves "Tequila" – Dan + Shay "Yours" – Russell Dickerson Writers: Casey Brown / Russell Dickerson / Parker Welling

Single Song of the Year is presented to the songwriters, I like to pick the most meaningful lyrical ballad. I was going to pick Yours because it became so popular as a wedding song, but then I realized it was released in 2015... so we’re going to go with Break Up in the End. 

VIDEO OF THE YEAR "Babe" – Sugarland featuring Taylor Swift "Burn Out" – Midland "Burning Man" – Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne "Drunk Girl" – Chris Janson "Shoot Me Straight" – Brothers Osborne "Tequila" – Dan + Shay

Hands down will always be Brothers Osborne. They always come out with the best videos. I wish Old Dominion was in this category as well. 

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR Ross Copperman - Ashley Gorley - Shane McAnally - Chase McGill - Josh Osborne

Shane McAnally. Always Shane. Forever Shane. 

MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR "Burning Man"– Dierks Bentley featuring Brothers Osborne "Drowns the Whiskey" – Jason Aldean featuring Miranda Lambert "Everything’s Gonna Be Alright" – David Lee Murphy featuring Kenny Chesney "Keeping Score" – Dan + Shay featuring Kelly Clarkson "Meant To Be" – Bebe Rexha Featuring Florida Georgia Line

Honestly, I hadn’t even heard of Keeping Score. I’ll have to go look that one up. But for now, that means it will be tossed out of this category. Plus anything tied to Miranda because I’m so over her right now. I’m going with Burning Man because I crank my radio as high as it can go every single time that song comes on! 

Don’t miss The 54th Academy of Country Music Awards airing on CBS on Sunday, April 7, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

[cynthiadshaw]

What’s the Most Important Lesson You’ve Learned Along Your Journey?

Every twist in our story, challenge we face, and obstacle we overcome is an important part of our story.  These difficulties make us stronger and wiser and prepare us for what’s ahead.  As we grow and succeed we may imagine that soon the challenges will fade away, but in our conversations with business owners, artists, creatives, academics, and others we have learned that the most common experience is that challenges never go away – instead they get more complex as we grow and succeed.  Our ability to to thrive therefore depends heavily on our ability to learn from our experiences and so we are asking some of the city’s best and brightest: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?

Alexcia Mombo | Nail Technician & Lash Artist

I would have to say the most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey so far is Patience. A lot of the time things won’t go the way you want but I’ve learned to be patient and accept things that I can’t control. Being patient helps you evaluate the situation more and it makes you look at it from a different light, I’ve also learned that it’s okay to fail as long as you keep trying. Never give up, you learn from your failures and it only makes you better and go harder!

@shelashes_ @SheLashesStudio shoplexilashes.bigcartel.com

Shamineke | Entrepreneur & Accounting Clerk

The most important lesson that I have learned in my journey so far is to pray and keep God first in everything. When you keep God first, everything will fall into place. I humble myself and admit that God is the CEO and I’m just the President. He calls the play and I execute them. I’ve learned to be patient and not rush the process. Moving too fast, sometimes, can cause a number of issues within your business which is why I will choose to follow the path that the Lord has for me and my business. Having a business is tough and can get discouraging at times but I try to stay as positive as I can and continue to keep the faith knowing that all of my hard work will pay off and it’ll all be worth it in the end. Networking is very important and I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some awesome entrepreneurs who have inspired, motivated and encouraged me to keep pushing for success. I’ve also had to learn my customers, I pride myself in providing the best customer service and making sure that my customers are pleased with my products. Customers want good products but they also want great customer service and I strive to provide them both each and every day.

lushhairbundlez.com  @LushHairBundlez @Lushhairbundlez_llc

The Taste of Mardi Gras Foods | Authentic New Orleans Cuisine and Desserts

What is the most important lesson we have learned throughout our journey so far is that we all need each other to be successful! Without God, our customers, employees, family, friends, business consultants etc. Our success would be non existent. Love is key, our love lies deep in our Food and Cooking. Just to see our customers smile and enjoying our food is the why we do this.

ttmgfoods.com @thetasteofmardigrasfoods @tasteofmardigrasfoods

Jeanette the Writer | blogger | editor | speaker | scuba instructor | cat Instagrammer

taraarseven.com

The most important lesson I’ve learned on my journey—take the risk. Story-time: I was staying over at a friend’s house and couldn’t get to sleep, so I was perusing their bookshelf, where I saw a book titled Who Moved My Cheese? Being an avid cheese-lover, I thought “perfect!” Of course, the book was not about cheese at all but rather used cheese as a metaphor for happiness. The characters have to wander through a scary maze to find new cheese. Some characters embrace this challenge while others are more hesitant. Finally, one of the hesitant characters asks, “what would you do if you weren’t afraid?” This struck me deeply. At the time, I was unhappy in my job and looking for something new. I had contemplated starting my own writing and editing business, but I had told myself that the risk was too great. When I read this line, I realized that there wasn’t something intrinsically risky about following my dreams, it was simply my own fear holding me back. Everything can be scary if we let it be, but there are certain risks we are willing to take because the cheese (happiness) we get is more important. I decided then and there to put my happiness before my fear and go after what I wanted. Two years later, I still ask myself that same question—what would you do if you weren’t afraid—all the time. Taking risks doesn’t necessarily get easier the more you do it, but as you see the good results piling up you’ll realize that many “risky” things are just a product of your own mind making them so. Take the risk. If you fall, get back up and take another risk. Stop letting fear rule you, and go after what you want in life. You’ll be amazed at what you get in return.

@jeanettethewriter  @goldenruleediting  eepurl.com/dLuuDY 

Blake Bishop | Videographer & Director

One thing I have learned is to just go out and do what you love, and not worry about the money. Eventually everything falls into place.

@blbp1x

Ali Mirza | Growth Marketer & Entrepreneur

Ali Mirza

Teaching is the new marketing. If you want to grow your business, create content to educate your audience. Sharing what you know is the fastest way to build your brand so don’t hold anything back. This is how you become an authority in your niche and start building strong relationship with your potential customers. So pick any channel that you like (Blogging, Video, Podcast or In-person events) and start educating consistently.

isocialyou.com @alimirza2k

Tiffany Lord | Founder of Love & Asana | Private Yoga Coach, & Resident Instructor at The International Headache Center

@beez.photos

To let go of expectations! Its hard to do as a hyper-planner, but there are so many ways to achieve goals. Every unexpected path has yielded huge learning opportunities and growth so far, both personally and professionally. Be open and enjoy the ride!

loveandasana.com  @loveandasana

Devon Duncan | Permanent Makeup Artist

Thus far in my journey I have learned that above all making a client feel comfortable with me as a person is the most important thing. Creating a positive relationship makes for an enjoyable experience for all of us. Having anything permanent done can be extremely intimidating but treating people with grace and compassion can help subside those fears, this mindset could and should be carried over into every other aspect of life.

@dev.ink.brows

Aisha Nicole | Blogger and Skincare Naturalista

The most important lesson I have learned on my journey so far is to trust the process through patience and persistence. Starting a business is exciting and scary at the same time, but by remaining positive and seeing that every obstacle encountered is an opportunity has helped to keep my passion alive. “Remember, failure is only a comma, not a period”.

sweetnectarbeauty.com  @sweetnectarbeauty @sweetnectarbeauty

Natalie Wolfe | Founder & CEO of StudioHop

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey so far is that you’re never going to please everyone and not everyone is going to like what you have to offer. For this reason, you should always go with your gut and make decisions you think are right for you and your business.

studiohopfitness.com @studiohopfit

Mae Rushing | Beauty Influencer and Boutique Owner

The most important lesson I’ve learned is to stay patient and trust the timing. Everything happens for a reason for sure. If things aren’t going your way it’s because it’s not supposed to at the time, but never lose faith and never lose hope. Always hold the vision that you had in your mind and keep going.

@naturalmae_

Amanda Talley, MA, LPC | Therapist & Outdoor Enthusiast

After mulling this over for a few days, I think the lesson is that our journey in this life can’t be boiled down to a “most important” thing. We are complex, ever changing, evolving; lessons build and add on to previous lessons and experiences. It is a cumulative effect and far greater than we can understand in this lifetime, but occasionally we have a “mountaintop” experience that let’s us see how it all comes together at that point. For me, all of this gives hope… and that’s what I aim to provide in sessions with folks on and off the trails.

amandatalleylpc.com @amandatalleylpc @amandatalleylpc @amandatalleylpc linkedin.com/in/amanda-talley-89a23a59

  Rosie M | Aspiring Nail Tech

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey, is that practice and patience are key to keep moving forward.

@rosienailedit

Brianne Leeson | Artist and Business Owner

I’ve learned how important it is to be willing to work with other small businesses. Even if it isn’t someone with the same kind of business, you could have a lot of great things to offer each other. The one thing you’ll always have in common with another business owner, no matter how disparate your businesses may seem, is that you both care enough about something make that your life’s work.

bellonaarts.com  @bellonaarts   @bellonaarts

Kopis Music | Dallas DJ

@_maribelmorales_

Everyday I need to make sure to ask myself the question:

Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing? & What habits have I created without noticing that I need to burn off?

Moving from California to Texas in June of 2018 has helped me focus and of what I love; finding the perfect songs for the perfect moment and putting a love of music in people’s hearts.

soundcloud.com/kopis-music  @kopismusic

Tamisa Hunter | CEO | Life Speaker | Servant- Leader

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey is you must “OWN YOUR TRUTH” and know “Your WORTH” A lot of times people will allow the world and other people to define them; however, you are unique and with that, you must “Be You’ No one can do you better than you. Stop hating yourself for everything you’re not and start loving yourself for everything you are.

Be you. Be Audacious Be Fearless

@tamisahunter  womenoftruthinc.org  tamisa@tamisahunter.com

Alexis Woods | Pre-Medicine Student & Blogger

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey so far is to never give up. Even after failed classes and life challenging experiences; if you have a dream never give up on it. Every obstacle that comes into my life is now taken as an opportunity to build a better and stronger version of myself. Without the obstacles placed in my life, I wouldn’t organically cherish where God is taking me. Like my mother used to say “Anything easy isn’t worth having”. My journey is unique and in the future, I hope to give many others the courage to keep pushing through the challenges they face to get to where they want to be in life.

thedealwithlex.com  @thedealwithlex  @thedealwithlex

Faith Peralta | Technical Writer & Photographer

The most important lesson I’ve learned on my journey so far is acceptance. I’ve spent a lot of time running from things that have happened in my life that I couldn’t control. As well as running toward things or people not meant for me. I’ve also spent a great deal of time beating myself up for the feelings of failure that trail this kind of stuff. So, at 41 – almost 42 – I’ve begun to just accept everything: wins, failures, talents, flaws, stresses, joys, love, loss. No matter what life brings, I’m still me. So I started a part-time photography business recently because it’s something I love! And when I start to worry I just remind myself that I got born here, that God loves me right now, and that I have things to do! There is so much richness and fun in life, despite all of the hard things that can’t be changed.

margotphotography.com

Mi Nguyen & Ales Vlasak | Global Nomads | Home Renovation & DIY Enthusiasts

We are global nomads who have lived in a few places on planet Earth including Vietnam, Czech Republic, New Zealand, China, and a few cities in the U.S. We have chosen Dallas as our permanent home and we have been loving our journey here. We love all things home and garden and have renovated two old homes so far. Like many other millennials, we enjoy finding ways to bring new looks to old homes on a very tight budget. This often means learning a lot of DIY methods ourselves, applying and taking risks, making mistakes, and improving along the way.

@thekiwihome  thekiwihome.com

Heath Farr | Rock Musician & Music Teacher

@emmanuelkharisma

The most important lesson I have learned in my journey is to collaborate far and wide. In everything you do, include as many people as possible. That does not mean you have to spend hundreds of dollars immediately. Find small ways to make other people a part of your work. There are seventeen music videos for the Edgeface album, Guardian. It was a fascinating journey full of different people, locations, and experiences. The visual album took more than two years to record and eleven months to shoot. The life experience gained from a year-long visual album has been extraordinary. My advice to any artist is to make other people a part of your work. Remember that your creativity is outstanding and unique. Run with it for the rest of your life!

youtube.com/channel/UCnzqE4YT3U_veRrGTDpORbA @Edgeface @edgefacemusic Apple Music- Edgeface Spotify- Edgeface

Sayo Sokari | REALTOR | songwriter | blogger | Event Architect and a multifaceted creative with a gift for connecting people with opportunities

The most important lesson I’ve learned so far on my journey is no matter what industry or aspect of life, the recipe to success includes a few very important ingredients.

One ingredient serves a similar purpose to what yeast does for bread, it causes everything to rise. That ingredient is consistency. Whether in music, finding the next deal to work, or more, consistent activities produce results and improvement.

Mix consistency with time management, accountability, and a divinely grounded purpose and this the recipe for some tasty success soup, rice, or pasta whichever tastes better to you!

youtube.com/channel/UCYwJL2IvF_1r3oHfyEvCiEA @sayotherealtor @sayo.sokari youtu.be/SxXSdzWoTag

Mike López | Sr Art Director | Creative and Illustrator

The most important lesson I’ve learned so far is: “be patient”.

mikeink.net @mike.ink  @mike.ink74  @mikeink.creative

Ninnapha Khamphoumy | Fitness Professional & Powerlifter

@infraredvisual

Find work that lights your heart. If you’re going to spend 40+ hours a week of your life working it might as well be something you’re passionate about and puts a smile on your face. I refuse to look back at my life and complain I worked too much or hated my job. Stop following the money, status, or other people’s opinions of what your life should look like. In the end, you have to live with every decision you make. So dream big, always believe in yourself and no matter how many times you get kicked down get back up and try again.

@notesfromninna @notesfromninna

Carol Lander | Home Decor and DIY blogger | Cooking instructor | Maker with A Makers’ Studio paint and DIY products

Most important thing I’ve learned in my blogging journey: don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need information and support and don’t hesitate to offer help to others.

blueskyathome.com Pinterest.com/blueskyathome @createatblueskyathome @blueskyathome bit.ly/blueskyathome

Dr. Guy Earle | Psychologist and Life Coach

I now live in Dallas Texas, I was raised in the DC and the Maryland area. When I was barely 20 I journeyed to Dallas with $400 dollars in my pocket, not knowing where I would live nor how I would pay for school. I jumped out into the unknown full of fears and uncertainties. However, what I can say is that I too this day do not know how I made it through school debt free, making $400 a month with a $267 car note, $50 apartment rent (yes, it was not in the best part of town) a student loan of approx. $200 that offset my scholarship. and not to mention the cost of gas and food. My expenses was over $500 dollars a month and I made $400 dollars a month. But, I learned that when you learn to trust and follow your heart that there is a greater force at work. Life will guide and direct you if we learn to trust its promptings.

Trusting the promptings of the heart is like jumping of the cliff for the first time. It is a matter of faith. Neville Goddard said it this way, “”You must assume the feeling of the wish fulfilled until your assumption has all the sensory vividness of reality. You must imagine that you are already experiencing what you desire. That is, you must assume the feelings of the fulfillment until you are possessed by it and this feeling crowds all other ideas out or your consciousness.””

When I trusted the voice inside of me, it pushed me against my greatest fear. Like, I was pushed into a challenging situation as a kid in a new neighborhood. I was not accepted and a product of major bullying. Don’t feel bad for me, it was the best thing that could of happen for me. My Father gave me a gift, he gave me the ability to look at my fears and to deal with my baggage of insecurity. He did not come to my rescue, in fact he pushed me into the battles by telling me that you must stand up. When I faced my greatest fear at that time it was truly a giant. But I must say the day I saw my Giant slayed by my courageous heart, as I defeated the kid who had beat up nearly everyday. Side note, I never had to fight again in that neighborhood.

On my journey the greatest gift that I have learned so far is FAITH. Napoleon Hill says, that “”faith is a state of mind which may be induced, or created, by affirmation or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind, through the principle of auto-suggestion.

It was said about Emile Coue’ the French psychologist that he was able to see people healed as they repeatedly spoke these words…””Everyday in every way I’m getting better and better.””

So, what am I saying, set your intentions on what it is that you want and then let go and trust that Life is able to serve you. But greater than that, life is wanting to serve you. Have Faith…jump and spread your wings and soar like an Eagle.

@dr.guyearle @Drguyearle drguyearle.com

Malkeet Saini | Whirly Cones business owner

In our journey so far we learned the best way to make a business successful is always working our hardest and making sure we always try to exceed our goals every day. The most important lesson is to always persevere! No matter how many issues might have come up in our journey we kept going and working as a team to always go past our limits.

Whirlycones.com @whirlycones @WhirlyCones @whirlycones

Kimberly Davis | Owner of Billionaire Beauties |  mother and nursing student

Latisha Davis

Let you passion drive your success wild. Stay genuine, keep it real, and never give up on your dreams. You never know who’s watching.

@kim_billionairebeauties18 @billionairebeauties18 Billionairebeauties18@gmail.com  Business # (214)735-6354

  Jantae Jackson | Marketing Specialist

What I have learned is that there is no room for fear in business. You have to overcome it to succeed 💛.

@MorphMarketing forevermodish19@gmail.com

Kennedy Dendy | Broadcast Journalism Student/CBS News Intern

The most important lesson I’ve learned in my journey stems from a piece of advice that my mother gave me many years ago. “If you want something, go get it.” I have truly learned the importance of chasing after my dreams and passions, despite what the world may throw. I learned to have a “go-getter” mindset when it comes to what I want for my life. It is important to understand that nothing is going to be simply handed to you. Getting to the place you wish to be requires a great deal of dedication, diligence and discipline. Twists and turns may come your way, but you must fix your eyes on the end goal.

@kennedy_dendy  KennedyDendy.com

DJ SEAN ANTHONY | DJ | ENTERTAINER

It would have to be to trust myself and my creative sound. Someone is always going to critique your work or offer feedback that you could’ve done without. In my beginning stages that would eat me up. I would work so hard on trying to accommodate that one person that said enough to cause this displacement in my style. That I would literally drive myself crazy until I got it right. But now I’m so much better than that. I’ve managed to accept that my style of DJ’ing is different and that’s what makes me stand out.

@djsean.anthony

B. Whitcomb | Travel Advisor for Travel with B (Travel Services)

I’m new to Dallas, I recently relocated from Omaha, Nebraska. I have a passion for traveling, so I figured why not do what you love?! It’s my goal to make travel affordable for everyone regardless who they are or what they do. I graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a dual major in Psychology and Communication. There I focused on mental health and leadership. Self-care is so important on the journey! The road to success is hard but its supposed to be…or everyone would be traveling in the same lane. The most important thing I’ve learned is to trust the process. You must learn from your mistakes, do everything with a purpose and prioritize God in your life. There is no wrong route to one’s destiny, but various roads one could take on their journey. Just remember why you started and never give up!

@travelwithb2day

Cesar Huesca | session guitarist | solo artist from Mexico

@alvarrockgarcia_fotografia

Well, my main lesson on my musical journey conveys to a life lesson which is not judging anyone’s path since we all have different processes throughout existence. We should understand that we live in the same place and we need to take care of our minds, bodies, spirits and emotions, and art is a great way to develop such things to higher levels. Music can be healing in many ways and we must be able to look through the eyes of spirit, calmly and no hurried, one step at a time, with love to everyone and everything.

youtube.com/user/CesarHuescaMusic @huescaguitar

Gabi Kelley | Mom | Writer & Personal Development Coach

God is always good, and we are all created for a purpose!

@gabiruth

Max | a seasoned professional Urban Glamour | Fitness | Cosplay and Event Photographer in the DFW area

Portrait photography must be greater than the sum of its parts. Careful planning, preparation and the ability to adapt to ever changing conditions in near real-time are critical to a successful photo shoot on location. Guiding and communicating with your client is essential. Event photography, on the other hand, is about timing and story telling. Find a story to tell and wait for the perfect millisecond to capture it.

@themeshootspage

Sammi Luna| Health & Wellness Coach

The most important lesson I have learned in my journey so far is that it’s not just about working out your body, it’s 100% completely also about working out your mind. Personal development and mind growth have been a side effect I didn’t know I would have but definitely something I needed! When you start your journey to weight loss and getting healthy, you’re not thinking about anything else but losing the weight. Losing the pounds and the inches and gaining the muscles. You don’t think about the mental toll it will take on you. All your interested in is losing, but my oh my did I gain so much more! Mental health, personal health, and mind growth are just as important as losing the weight. And that has been the best and most important lesson I have learned so far. Every morning I start it off with personal development, set the tone for the day! It really is the only way to start every single day, to live it to the fullest!

@sammi_getsfit  Sammiluna.goherbalife.com

Nathan Clark | Founder: Health & Wellness CBD (H&W CBD)

The most important lesson I have learned in my journey so far is to never doubt yourself. Starting something you truly believe in can be difficult and when you feel like quitting you just have to think about why you started in the first place. I started H&W to help people through similar struggles that I have experienced myself, because I know first hand what it feels like to be in pain.

Creating H&W has been a dream of mine after I experienced how much CBD helped me recover and regulates my pain after a motorcycle wreck back in 2012. It is now my job to reach out to people in need and provide them the purest pharmaceutical grade CBD products on the market. For more information about myself and my company you can visit the about us tab on the website.

hw-cbd.com @hwcbd @hwcbdoil

Aviisway | Creative Director & Filmmaker

The most important thing that I have learned along my journey is that we are all destined to fulfill our desires and everybody should be equally loved and supported. I feel connected to the thrill of life, and being able to capture those moments on a device and share it with the world allows me to tell a story that can’t be explained in words.

@aviisway_ youtube.com/channel/UCy_5KwDj_AX0hTUDrYLyNTg

Brigitte Buckholtz VerHagen | founder of EastsideGems

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your journey so far? To celebrate the small achievements, while setting goals for the future. As a momtrepreneur, I have to balance my family and business life and during time of growth that can be difficult. I started with only $200 and continued to reinvest the money into the company so I could obviously grow and offer my followers nicer pieces and sometimes more rare mid century modern designed furniture. And it really took off! We’re primarily an Insta shop, people can come view any item by appointment but we don’t have a retail space or showroom just yet. With the growth we’ve had that can be frustrating! But when I look back to 6 months ago when the company began and see how far we’ve come, I just want to jump with joy! We’ve surpassed all our goals already and those small achievements are BIG! We have future goals and plans in the works but the biggest lesson was to just celebrate how far we’ve come! It’s been a fun ride.

@EastsideGems

Samantha Johnson | Feel Good Artist & Mom

In this journey of, my so far, young life, I have become a mother, but I was an artist first, it was my first baby. In this industry your style is not necessarily everyone else’s style; your feelings, your inspirations. I could spend two minutes on a piece of art and someone think it’s amazing, whereas I may see disappointment. Or I could spend a week on a project and see greatness, where somebody else might see and feel nothing. It’s all about your own journey, your own love, your own aspirations/inspirations, we’re not here to please everyone. And though that will always be understood, making it a reality is different. We like to please others, we want them to see what we see, and that’s life in most aspects. There’s beauty and pride to be had, when you grow and become less worried about everyone else; what they think/have and what you don’t. Instead you invest more in yourself and your craft, no matter what that may be. How I see it…there’s art to be seen in almost everything, and that is what I live by. Art is love, its happiness, hope, and it doesn’t always have to be something you can physically touch. It’s a feeling. And for me, if I can give someone a feeling, something unexplainable, yet so pleasant through my work or personality, I’ve accomplished way more than just a small piece of green paper.

artssoulpurpose.com  @ArtsSoulPurpose  @isthatsammiej

Bo Priest | Key Accounts Manager at Purus Labs

If you want your business to grow, you can’t be too good to do the little things.

@puruslabs @puruslabs  Youtube.com/puruslabsvids

Zach Harris | Producer at RocketBrand

@gorocketbrand

The most important lesson I have learned in my journey so far is that if something can go wrong, it will go wrong; it’s all about how you respond that defines the difference between success and failure.

@harriszach

The post What’s the Most Important Lesson You’ve Learned Along Your Journey? appeared first on Voyage Dallas Magazine | Dallas City Guide.

source http://voyagedallas.com/2019/08/09/whats-important-lesson-youve-learned-along-journey/

[inthejam]

Twelve Life Lessons of 2017

WHAT A YEAR!

As 2017 comes to a close, I want to share the “12 Life Lessons” that 2017 has taught me about life so far.

  1. “Go with the flow. Take your time and allow things to flow!”

January taught me to allow things to reveal themselves, in their own time, instead of feeling anxious about the unknown. I got tired of paddling upstream, so I tried pulling the paddles into my boat and allow the river to take me where it will. In other words, I surrender and learn to go with the flow of life. Take note, do not view surrendering as giving up; there is a huge difference. To surrender means to yield, to concede to the way things are and to give way to something else without forcing it to happen our way.  Giving up is totally different, it means to quit, to stop and to resign yourself to the idea that something is just not going to happen.

2. “Change is good; embrace it. “

  February taught me to initiate change and it’s somehow easy to adapt to it, since it’s a wanted one. We all know that change is the only constant thing in this world. So, even if you avoid it, it will enter your life just the same. With each change you have to make, a great many more options will open up to you; they always do.   

 3. “Slow down.”

March taught me the need to slow down. Life moves at such a fast pace that it seems to pass me by before I can really enjoy it. Whenever I find myself speeding up and stressing out, I pause, and take a deep breath. By fully focusing on each breath, I bring myself back to the present, and slow myself down.

4. “There is no such thing as an overnight success. Work for what you want. “

April taught me that no one achieves success overnight. Graduation was the highlight of this month. That was a momentous event because finally I got to receive my first and last medal in college which is my Cum Laude medal. Indeed, success is built on a solid foundation of hard work, flexibility, and persistence, held together by the underlying dream that set you on your path. Your success may be only one step away; therefore, practicing patience is essential because you never know what is going to take you to the level of success you desire.

5. “Being courageous takes bravery.”

May taught me to set my bravery into motion. I decided to take the board exam. It’s true that stepping out of our comfort zone can be scary at times; the unknown and unfamiliar will often leave you a bit anxious. Bravery is deciding that now is a better time than later. But, being brave doesn’t mean you are fearless; it means you are willing to face your fears. I believe that being courageous is a way of saying to myself ‘I believe in you’. Bravery is bravery, even if it doesn’t look that remarkable to anyone else. You are still brave.

6. “Be willing to sacrifice pleasure for opportunity.”

June taught me that I must be willing to make some sacrifices for better tomorrow. I said to myself that if I want to take the board exam, I really have to want it bad – do whatever it takes to pass the exam, even if it means I have to make certain sacrifices along the way. I reminded myself on a regular basis that I have to work harder than usual in order to succeed, and I recognize that such demands struggles I have to face.

7. “Keep reciting your “Why.”

July taught me to keep reciting my “WHY.” My “why” pushed me into the next level. My “why” had helped me push through my fears and doubts. Because I believe that if your “why” is in direction with your goals and morals, you are less likely to give up. During my whole review, I focused my attention in improving myself rather than pulling myself down.

8. “Be your own hero. Keep going”

August taught me that sometimes you have to be your own hero. Holding all your emotions can be so tiring and so heavy, and sometimes you just need to let it out and let yourself cry or scream or break down. Literally, 2017 was a year of trembling hands, of worn out hearts and of tired eyes for me.  TBH, I shed a lot of tears this 2017 than any other year. I really allowed myself to have a good cry this yeaaaaaar! Crying was the most healing thing I know that I can do for free. In my experience, crying and letting out all the built-up pressure can help a great deal to reduce stress.  I also journal the pain away because keeping your feelings bottled up will only make you feel worse. I cry if I need to, stay in bed a little longer and skip my shower for a day. I want to stop things. I want to turn back and get off the road less traveled. But then again I also learned to take out my claws and fight fiercely. All heroes go through times of suffering, but they always overcome it.  Remember, you can sit in the dark for a little while, but remember not to let the darkness sit on you for too long and that you will be your most important hero and you’ll realize that you’re obligated to help yourself, give yourself advice, and fight for yourself.

9. “SAVE YOURSELF. Self-care isn’t selfish”

September taught me to distance myself to save myself because not everyone is going to be on your side. Not everyone is going to be picking you back up and trying to motivate you to do better. In the previous years, I always worry that I’m being selfish if I put myself first. But this 2017, I’ve come to realize that acting in your own best interests, when done properly, isn’t a selfish act. Now is the time in our lives where we should be selective with whom we have by our side. It is not about the number of people we have next to us, but those who truly can be depended on. Even if that means there is only a select few who are good enough for that role that is better than those that you have to question their role. Sometimes you have to remember that you have to do things for your own well-being before you can do something for someone else.

10. “Embrace struggles.”

October taught me that struggle is beautiful, because that’s where we learn. And without the struggle, what would success be, anyway? Would we feel we’ve earned it? Feel we deserve it? My guess is no.  I also learned to celebrate every little milestone as I inch ever closer to the board exam. I always remind myself that failure is all part of the process, and be kind to myself when I make mistakes. The pain of struggle is a part of your experience, not something to run from, to escape. Pain will find you somehow, and to go through its cleansing fire will be one of the truest things that can happen to you in your life, if you let it.

11. “Always keep your faith.”

November taught me to trust God no matter what. Reflecting backwards over the past two decades of my life I feel like I became closer to God this year. This month, I became an Registered Psychometrician by God’s grace. One of the greatest blessings I’ve ever received. The most important advice I want to leave you with is to keep your faith and put out your greatest effort in all that you do. Do your best and let God do the rest.

12. “I still have a long way to go”

December taught me that even though year has ended, another one will begin with so many things to hope for. I am leaving this year with the realization that life is about so much more than destinations, it is about the journey. The journey is every bit as important as the final goal.

I love to get to the end of the year and take time to reflect on all of the lessons I’ve got over the past twelve months so that I have a clear focus on what I want to achieve going forward. I am leaving this year with the realization that life is about so much more than destinations, it is about the journey. The journey is every bit as important as the final goal.

Thank you & Goodbye 2017.

Welcome & Cheers to 2018!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!