The Life Diet 365 with Suzan' Stroud

You see, life can be that way too. We have a bright idea, business venture or goal we’re wanting to achieve and little bumps in the road or hiccups appear and in some cases we immediately want to give up allowing doubt, fear and frustration to creep in.

When we don’t give up we:

• Find the strength to keep going.
• Discover that it’s not as difficult as we thought.
• Didn’t have to wait as long as we were told.
• Move a lot closer to our goal when others get out of our way.
• See that it was worth it, we just had to be patient.

As we move closer to the end of this unusual year, we must take our mind off of what we missed out on and what were weren’t able to do, and focus what we can do now to make next year better. You always have the power to control your outcome, even when that outcome does not look like the outcome you anticipated. The fact that you understand and accept that you can only control what you can control and you choose how you see and respond to it. Just like you 2020 threw me for a loop, but I immediately began looking at a different outcome and asking God what He was wanting to show me and what am I supposed to learn.So many people gave up and thought 2020 was not worth moving and

What does it mean to be naked? Webster's says; “a person or part of the body without clothes,” and “undisguised; blatant (of something such as feeling or behavior.) In both definitions I simply interpret it as baring truth or free of . . .”

Now I’m not suggesting that after this podcast episode you go out and run the streets butt bare naked, but I want use this metaphorically to describe the mustard seed of shame that we tend to carry in the form of what we use to cover up what we may not like about ourselves or to present ourselves to world in a way that we want them to perceive us. Either way we’re not baring the truth or living free of . . . whatever.

No judgment! I’ve been there done that, and will probably do it again, but at the end of the day what’s at the root of this so-called “enhancement.” How do I truly feel about myself? Am I doing it please another person or people? Am I trying to emulate someone else? Or am I doing it because I like the way it looks and the me that I’m already confident with only enhance the enhancement

Ponder this thought: The next time you’re bare-butt naked take a moment to look at yourself (I mean really look at yourself) and ask if they never made anything to enhance your outer appearance, would you be okay with what you’re seeing in the mirror. When you exude with confidence, it doesn’t matter what you put on the outside, the energy of your confidence will speak for itself.

*****************************************************************************************

Feedback: [email protected]

Facebook Group -The Life Diet 365 Community

IG/Twitter: bestr8ghtup

Youtube: Ms. StraightTalk

The 5 C's are (in summary):

Care – First and foremost you should know without a shadow of a doubt that the person genuinely cares for you and cares enough to love you. Care is when they consider your feelings, schedule, likes and dislikes.

Conversation/Communication-If they meet the first “c” then this one should be somewhat easy. Each person in the relationship is expected to do his/her part to make sure that communication is clear and concise. Avoid hidden agendas and expecting the other person to be a mind-reader. Say what you mean and ask for what you want. This is another reason why establishing boundaries in the onset is so important because is removes some of the mystery that can pop-up later down the line. I discuss more about “Know What You Will and Won’t do on my YouTube Channel and Episode 24. Click link below:

https://the-life-diet-365-with-suzan-stroud.simplecast.com/episodes/know-what-you-wont-do

Compromise – A compromise is a settlement of difference by mutual consent. Compromise is the outward expression of “care” and it means a lot to the other person when you do so. NOW, on the flipside of that, NEVER, and I MEAN NEVER compromise on your boundaries, principles or your safety to make the other person happy-If it feels all the way wrong to you and they should respect and “care” enough about you not to push the issue.

Considerate – Being considerate of the other person is “care” with a big hug. This is when one person puts the needs/interests of the other person above their own.

Cash – “I ain’t sayin you a gold digger, but you ain’t messing with no broke bleep.” Cash is king and no cash is a killer of relationships. Love is an amazing strength to have in a relationship, but if money is a long-standing issue and it causing discord and strife then it could be a huge problem.

Ponder this thought: Avoid people who want to try and make you feel like you hard to love. It’s not that you’re hard to love, you just know how you want to be loved.

*************************************************************************

Stay Connected:

Facebook Group: The Life Diet 365 Community

IG/Twitter: msstr8ghttalk

YouTube: Ms. Straight Talk

Today’s Life Quote: “You are responsible for your life. You can’t keep blaming somebody else for your dysfunction. Life is really about moving on.” Oprah Winfrey
How many times have we heard someone say that either they themselves are the product of a dysfunctional family or they know someone who comes from a dysfunctional family? What does it mean to be a product of dysfunction? Webster’s defines dysfunctional as “not functioning properly: marked by impaired or abnormal functioning. Or Characterized by abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction.”

My definition of dysfunctional (in addition to what Webster’s has to say) is; dysfunction is comparing what you may deem as abnormal in your family or life by comparing it what you deem to be normal in the life/family of another who too sees there life/family as dysfunctional. Hmmm! Now imagine that. Disclaimer: Any form of abuse is dysfunctional and is not the type of dysfunction I’m referring to for the purpose of this podcast.

Now that we understand “dysfunctional” then what exactly is “THIS-functional.”

THIS-functional is the functionality excuse or blame factor used to continue in one’s own dysfunctional world. Here are a few examples:

THIS is how I am!

THIS is the way I was raised!

THIS is the way it’s going to be!
THIS is how it’s done!

THIS is what I enjoy doing!
THIS is all I know!

Does any of this sound familiar? Are you yourself guilty of remaining stuck or stagnant in your own THIS-function. Growth and change inevitably go hand in hand. When we’re young and in our toddler to pre-teen years we enter into a world filled with the beliefs and experiences of our parents, and because they’re our parents we look up to them and take their word and experiences as the gospel and the only way to live life. Then the teenage years come along, and we meet other people who too are filled with the beliefs and experiences of their parents, and when the two come together other beliefs and experiences are born. As we go through life reading, learning, and experiencing we will either hold onto everything and allow that to be our ONLY guiding path, or we allow new (hopefully) positive experiences to light the way. I’m not suggesting that everything we experience is life is not good for us, but we have to be open enough to at least explore. Why would anyone CHOOSE to remain in a place (mentally, physically or emotionally) that’s not serving you in a positive way.