by Coach Tina | Dec 9, 2015 | Fear
Growing up I heard my grandmother say, “I once complained about my shoes until I meet a woman that had no feet!” That was her way of telling me to be thankful for ALL things. Good and bad!
Although I understood what Grandma was saying, I must admit, I still had things I complained about and I took a lot of things for granted. As the year comes to an end, I can look back at things and realize maybe I should have been more appreciative of certain opportunities, maybe I should have slowed down just a little bit and took the time to say “thank you”. Maybe I should have looked deeper in the eyes of my loved ones when I said “I love you”. Maybe! Maybe! Maybe! Unfortunately, those moments are gone, but I have today! You have today. We have all the moments that will appear from this point forward.
Complaining is defined as: a verbal or nonverbal display expressing dissatisfaction or annoyance about something.
Did you realize most of the things we complain about are things we can actually do something about?
Instead of complaining about how people treat you…show them how you desire to be treated by treating yourself with respect and love. Stop tal
king negatively to yourself. Set boundaries for individuals that don’t treat you the way you desire to be treated. You were created in greatness, don’t accept anything less.
Instead of complaining about finances… evaluate where you are and change the situation. Is going back to school an option? Do you need to look for another job? Do you need a job? Do you need to set up a budget and get better control on your spending? You were created to have an abundant life, why are you struggling?
Instead of complaining about not having enough time… work on time management skills. Are you taking control of your time or allowing your time to take control of you? Do you find yourself being wasteful with your time? Are you lazy? Are you consumed with things you shouldn’t even be doing? Remember you are in control of your time – no one else.
Instead of complaining about life in general… realize you are the CEO of your life. You can promote as well as terminate anyone or anything you desire. Do you have individuals sitting in management positions but they should have received a pink slip? Are you giving benefits to individuals that should be on probation? Have you provided adequate training to your employees or are you just letting them do whatever they want to do?
Let’s face it, there is always something we CAN complain about. But there is also always something WE can do about it.
Instead of focusing on all the things we could complain about, how about taking the time to think about how different our lives could be if we stopped complaining and took the time to make the changes we desire.
Where you are is not your final destination! It’s just the chariot that will get you to the palace. ~Tina Bailey
You will never go forward constantly complaining about the situation. You must take matters in your own hands and change the things about your life that you don’t like. You are in complete control. So in honor of my grandmother – I LOVE my shoes.
Until Next Time,
Tina
by Coach Tina | Nov 24, 2015 | Gratitude
This is the time of year when everyone walk around saying what they are thankful for. Many people will lie and express gratitude for things today and complain about them next week. Some will mask reality to prevent family members from seeing just how out of control their lives really are.
What are the masks? You display an attitude that everything is great, when actually you just received notification that this is your last week with the company you’ve been with for 15 years. You show a welcoming smile, when actually under your breath you are complaining about providing food for people that you really don’t like. You go all out of the way and make this grand feast with all the trimmings, yet you know the light company is coming to cut your lights off Friday. You arrive at family dinner, not because you want to but because you’ve been told it’s the right thing to do. You secretly wish the holidays would hurry up and pass so you can return to your life as a recluse.
Really, what do I have to be thankful for?
For many the holidays are merely reminders of all the pain they have experienced throughout the year. As others are walking around complaining about spending time with family members, they are reminded how their loved one is no longer here. While others are complaining about people coming in making a mess of their homes, they are reminded how they lost their home in foreclosure last month. While some are complaining about only having only one day off work, they are reminded of the pink slip they received six months ago and how no prospects of a job
seems near.
Really, what do I have to be thankful for?
We walk through life complaining about what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do have. We compare our lives to the lives of others but we never compare our blessings to the blessings of others. Why is that?
One reason is many of us don’t know what a true blessing is. We think having a lot of money, a big house, lots of materialistic items constitute being
blessed. When in actuality having your health, having a sound mind, having the ability to love and to experience love are the true blessings. If all the material things in life was to suddenly disappear and you only had your health and a sound mind, you could find a way of replenishing all the STUFF. If you have the ability to love and to experience love you will realize those things never really mattered in the first place.
Now don’t get it wrong we all would like nice things, at least I like nice things. But could you imagine how better this world would be if the “nice things” we showed gratitude for were the kindness we show to others? Like the smile we offered to the person we pass on the street just because. Or the kind words we gave to the person who was mean to us last week? Or the forgiveness we offered to that person that hurt us? Or how we showed love to that person that never showed love to us? Those are the nice things we should focus on.
You see true gratitude does not come from the outside it comes from within. We must learn it is not what is provided to us but what we have to offer to others that provide the true opportunities for thanksgiving.
So be thankful for what?
Be thankful that things are as good as they are. Be thankful that you have been given another day on earth to do something good for someone else. Be thankful that even if your life is not as you would want it to be, it’s better than they life of those walking around not knowing what they have to be thankful for.
Until Next Time,
Tina
by Coach Tina | Nov 19, 2015 | Fear
When you think of a prisoner, most of the time you think of a person locked up because they have broken the law. You think of a criminal, a bad person. You think of a person “doing time for the crime”. But what if I told you, you are a prisoner?
Yes, YOU!!! Many of us have been imprisoned by our thoughts. Some are shackled to our past. While others are handcuffed by our lack of motivation and belief in our own abilities. We all have that image that appears in our minds when we think of a prisoner…. Looking between the bars, sad faced, hoping someone takes pity on them. Well are you that person? Are you looking through the bars wishing for more? Wishing for something to miraculously happen that would change your life?
Dreams don’t happen; they are created! ~Tina Bailey
You will remain bound to thoughts of your past or your previous failures as long as you allow it. At some point you must decide that enough is enough. YOU have to decide that I’ve been in this position long enough. At some point you have to decide to break the chains that hold you captive and push towards the things you really want in life.
In my book, What You’re Hiding is Hindering Your Blessings, I talked about how I felt this overwhelming need to be perfect. I was imprisoned by my desire for perfectionism. One of the most liberating things in this world, was the day I realized I didn’t have to be perfect in this imperfect world.
It’s time for a PRISON BREAK!!
Did you realize you could break free of the chains of your past? All you have to do is stop seeking permission from others to be who you truly desire to be. You don’t need permission to let your greatness shine. All you have to do is DO IT!! Your greatness is on the inside of you not on the outside. People don’t determine how great you can be – you do!
You will never know what you are capable of achieving, if you don’t at least attempt it. Regardless of what you think – no one expects you to be perfect. That’s a lie you have convinced yourself to be true. Those individuals that love you are going to love you regardless. Let me tell you one more secret–individuals that really care about you, want you to do the things that make you happy.
It’s time to for a prison break!! The good thing about this prison break – you don’t have to look over your shoulders expecting someone to put you back in “lock up”. The only one that can put the shackles back on you is YOU!!
Free your mind and the rest will follow!!!
Until Next Time,
Tina
by Coach Tina | Nov 11, 2015 | Growth
As a child, I was not allowed to speak when grown people were speaking. We were often told “children are to be seen not heard”. When adults were in a conversation, children were usually told to go outside and play. But today, children quickly interrupt conversations and implant their opinions like they are grown.
I remember having a conversation and my son decided to add his two cents in, I popped him in the mouth before he knew what hit him. It was a reflex. No one was talking to him. “Stay in a child’s place!”
I wonder is that what God says about us some times? I wonder do he sit and think “Why don’t she just be quiet? No one asked for her opinion”. “Why don’t he just be quiet and let me fix this mess?”
So many of our problems would be solved if we would learn to keep our mouths closed. We have a tendency of making the issue worse just by the things we say. Have you ever been in court or seen a court case on television, and you just want to tell the witness to be quiet? They are giving far too much information. They are answering questions that were never even asked.
Proverbs 17:27-28 says “He who restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man (woman) of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise. When he closes his lips he is considered prudent (wise)”.
We must learn to watch our mouths! We must learn to watch the words that come from our mouths! We are placing curses and destruction in our lives with our words.
Do you say “she makes me sick”? Then wonder why when you are around that person you feel ill. Do you say “this job is killing me”? Then wonder why you feel a heaviness any time you are around your co-workers. My favorite is “I love you to death”. People can suck the life right out of you all in the name of love. Please don’t love me to death, love me to life.
Your words are powerful. So before you speak, THINK!!
T – Is this TRUE?
H – Is this HELPFUL?
I – Is this INSPIRING?
N– Is this NECESSARY?
K – Is this KIND?
Just because a thought forms in your mind does not require that it be released from your mouth. You were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. Just watch your mouth! God really don’t need your help to bless you, but you can make the task a lot easier if you would stop blocking the blessing with your words.
Until Next Time,
Tina
by Coach Tina | Nov 5, 2015 | Growth
Have you ever had that person that seems to always be tooting their horn, talking about all their accomplishments? You know that one that seems to never make a mistake. The one that seems so much better than everyone else. They appear to be so sure of themselves that it makes you sick to your stomach. You want to scream “You Ain’t All THAT!!”
Why do you think people like that bother you so much? Is their confidence causing you to question yourself? Do you wish you had that type of confidence? Do listening to their accomplishments make you feel less than? Are you secretly obsessing over what they have? Are you wishing you had done more in life?
Did you know those type of thoughts are tricks of the enemy? Part of the enemy’s job is to plant seeds of doubt in your mind. If he can get you to focus on what others are doing, you can’t focus on what God is doing in your life. Regardless of what you have heard, the enemy is powerless. His power comes from what we give him to work with. If you lack confidence in yourself, he will use it against you. If you struggle with self-esteem issues, he will use it against you. If you aren’t sure of your purpose, he will use it against you.
Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to the person you were yesterday. Each day we should strive to be better than we were the day before. Each day we should strive to do better than we did the day before. Each day is God giving us an opportunity to improve.
His mercies are renewed every day, great is His faithfulness. Lamentations 3:23
It’s not about being better than someone else. It is truly about being a vessel God can use. It is being willing to do be
tter. It is about being willing to allow God to make you better. It is about not wanting to continue to do the things you have been doing. When you compare yourself to others, you discredit what God created in you. You were not created in the image of man, you were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). If you want to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to God!
One would say I could never measure up to God. This is true but I’d rather live a life trying to be like Him than live a life based off the lies someone else is showing me. We all have issues. We all have flaws. No one walks around displaying their flaws but that don’t mean they aren’t there. It just means the person is striving to be better than they were yesterday. They are working on their flaws. They are not giving the enemy power over them, they are walking in confidence of who they are. They are embracing what God is doing in their lives.
Each day you wake up, strive to be better. Each day, strive to do better. Each day, be thankful for another opportunity. Each day you wake up mark it as a day of self-improvement.
Remember yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not promised but today is a gift from God.
So when you make a conscious effort to make changes in yourself each day, you can walk around and say “I AM ALL THAT!” Yes, you may have people that seek to discredit you. So what!! As long as you know you are striving to be better than you were yesterday; as long as you know you are working towards being who God called you to be, don’t worry about what people say!! People are going to talk – remember the enemy uses what’s available – unfortunately sometimes it’s people.
Until Next Time,
Tina
king negatively to yourself. Set boundaries for individuals that don’t treat you the way you desire to be treated. You were created in greatness, don’t accept anything less.