Time For A New Attitude

Dear Readers, 

If this is your first time following me, dragthepen is dedicated to discussing issues that impact our relationships and our daily lives. Last week Monday, I was live on facebook and asked my viewers  this question, When we were ordered to be sheltered in place what changes took place in their marriage, partnership, or entanglement? This discussion is focused on you about self reflection, question,  have you given any thought to how you’ve changed or made changes in your life since being sheltered in place?

While enclosed in our homes we had a lot to handle trying to maintain a healthy mental and emotional balance. Now that we have had time to enjoy summer and fall and winter is fast approaching, have you taken time to think about your life and the adjustments that moving forward require you to make?

Most people don’t want down time to reflect on their lives because they may discover areas of their life that makes them uncomfortable to think about. Instead, they prefer to avoid what needs to be addressed. It takes a brave and honest person to confess weakness, struggles and disappointments.

Can you honestly look at yourself in the mirror and say to yourself that before the coronavirus rolled into town that you were 100 percent happy with all areas of your life? Or were moments when you came to the conclusion that you should reevaluate your life.

I understand that people continue to struggle with finances, unemployment, home school, working from home, eviction, and are simply concerned about their future. I’ve had conversations with family members, friends, co- workers and other people who say, “that this crisis has caused them to come face to face with areas of their life that they either avoided improving and they have regrets and hope to have a chance to make changes.”

Some people said that they regret not taking vacations and enjoying life more, they should have watched their spending and saved more money, completed their education, made an effort to work on their relationships, and complete unfinished projects, they worry over the pain caused by broken promises. I heard repeatedly from people that this crisis has called to their attention the things in life that are truly important. This nation has been through a great test this year concerning the destruction from the corona virus and racial tension and it seems that nothing is getting better, so it’s easy for people to give up.   

And with all the things that people have to cope with it’s difficult for them to think about self-care. I am saying to you take a moment to think about how this crisis has changed you. What is important to you in order to move forward, make changes and create a better life. Take a moment for you. 

I’ve taken advantage of this down time reading more, and I’ve discovered that I like this slower pace of life. I have decided not to go back to draining myself on the grind. I want a more focused life, working on projects that have meaning and purpose, no more filling up my calendar until I can’t breathe, I don’t have to be all things to all people. I enjoy blogging, writing books, ( My third  will be released  Dec). I want time to produce more YouTube videos for my channel Conversations with J. R. Floyd. I am working on my script for a documentary I will produce in the summer of 2021. Oh and the biggest change I am transitioning to a new profession. This new career move will allow me the time to pursue all the goals that I have planned.

The world has changed and it will continue to change. changes that wasn’t expected but the coronavirus has forced us to change. How are you going to move forward and embrace CHANGE?

Thank you for stopping by dragthepen.

The Sweet Smell of Peace

Dear Readers, 

Since we’ve been under the order to socially disconnect these are some words, emotions, and feelings people are expressing either verbally or posted on social media. Anger, panic, fear, disbelief, shock, depression, sadness, worry, uncertainly, outrage, and not to mention sleepless nights.The one word I don’t hear anyone verbalizing is PEACE. Today, my mission is to uplift you and to be the voice of HOPE.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

When life becomes a little chaotic, take a moment and say the word PEACE. When PANIC starts to smother you breathe and think PEACE. If  ANGER, FRUSTRATION, and CONFUSION cloud your mind scream out the word PEACE. We seem to live in a time of SADNESS, DEPRESSION, WORRY, and UNCERTAINTY that leads to sleepless nights. 

Take a moment to be still and breathe in the sweet smell of PEACE. 

Photo by rovenimages.com on Pexels.com

Broken Family

Dear readers,

I saw something posted by my son on his Instagram page. No need to worry , my son is 36 years old, married 14 years to a fabulously talented and beautiful wife, who gave birth to my three amazing grandchildren ( two girls and a boy), Yes, I know I said no need to fret, but a mothers never ceases worrying no matter how advanced in age their children. My son is a family man. He is among the thousands maybe millions of young black men, who have  stood before man and God and said ” I do” and meant it. Nonetheless  it pained me to read this post:

Family isn’t what it used to be. It use to be time when you could go to grandma house, eat hang out with family, and just have a good time. Now everybody choose who they wanna deal with. Aunts and Uncles choose which kids to be proud of. Brother’s and Sister’s treat friends more like family. Cousins talk about each other like they aren’t flawed. Grandparents spend time with certain grand kids. And the only time you see everyone together is a funeral.

While your reading this post and discovery that your family has fallen on hard times. Pick up the phone and reach out. Plan a dinner, send a card, aplogized to the family memebers you haven’t spoken to becuase of a foolish grudge. the foundation of the next generation depends on strong family tides,

Whats say you?

The Conversation

Dear readers, Sixteen days into the new year. Question how is those RESOLUTIONS working for you?

Well, if you haven’t read my post the Bucket list versus Resolutions, I’ve come across a list of 20 Questions by  author Martha  Nibley Beck,   an American sociologist, life coach, best-selling author, and speaker who specializes in helping individuals and groups achieve personal and professional goals.

Maybe its time to stop looking at that list of New Years Resolutions and have a serious conversation with yourself. Its Martha Beck’s theory  that these 20 question will help you to find the answers to some of life’s dilemmas by asking  the right questions.

1. What questions should I be asking myself?
2. Is this what I want to be doing?
3. Why worry?
4. Why do I like ________ more than I like _____?
5. How do I want the world to be different because I lived  in it?
6. How do I want to be different because I live in the world?
7. Are vegans better people?
8. What is my body telling me?
9. How much junk could a chic chick if a chic chick could chuck junk?
10. What’s so funny?
11. Where am I wrong?
12. What potential memories am I bartering, and is the profit worth the price?
13. Am I the only one struggling not to ____?
14. What do I love to practice?
15. Where could I work less and achieve more?
16. How can I keep myself absolutely safe?
17. Where should I break the rules?
18. So say I lived in that fabulous house in Tuscany, with untold wealth, a gorgeous , adoring mate, and a full staff of servants…then what?
19. Are my thoughts hurting or healing?
20. Really truly: Is this what I want to be doing?

What Say you?