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2012 was an interesting year for me. I think I went up another size in my big-girl panties. LOL! I also picked up a few nuggets along the way and I wanted to share them with you.

1. Blessed are the Flexible Stuff happens. Life happens. Know that. Accept it. The sooner you do, the better off you will be. There's a saying, "Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out if shape." When things are not going the way you planned, you have to learn how to make lemonade out of your lemons.

2. Be Fearless I'm going to go out on a limb and say that fear is the #1 reason people stall out and don't move forward with their dreams. So, you try something and it doesn't work out. What's the worst thing that can happen? But what if you try and it DOES work out? What's the best thing that can happen? Ditch the fear and go!

3. Do Not Compromise If you have a vision of how things are supposed to come together, do not compromise it. It's fine to consult with others, but if that consultation turns into something that is contrary to your vision, don't do it. You have been gifted with a unique assignment. Your blessings are linked to that assignment. Do not allow anyone to talk you out of what has been divinely imparted unto you.

4. Make No Comparison Run your own race. Don't get distracted by what someone else is doing in your field. They have to walk out their calling in truth and integrity just like you. At the end of the day, it's about making an impact in this world. And how we do that, and to what extent, is different for everybody. So don't get distracted by others. Stay in your lane and run your own race.

5. Everything Ain't for You There are a lot of opportunities that may present themselves that may seem like good ideas. Other people seem to be successful doing it, so why not you? Well, some things may be a "good idea" but they may not be God's idea for you. Know the difference. Don't clutter your calendar with fruitless activities that will only distract you from your purpose. Everything ain't for you.

6. Stop Worrying About Supporters Too much of our energy can be focused on worrying about who is "supporting" us and who's not. We get so carried away with the naysayers that we overlook our cheerleaders. Just focus on your assignment. God did not give you that gift to fall on deaf ears. The people who need what you have to offer WILL support you. The others? Who cares? And here's a truth I learned long ago: Those who you think support you, may not. And those who you least expect are 100% for you!

7. Get Over Stuff...Quickly Offenses are a part of life. Your spouse, your boss, your child, your business partner will all offend you at some point on your journey. Get over it...quickly! Offense is one of the greatest ways to short-circuit your blessings. It allows you to hold too much junk in your heart and pushes out love and gratefulness. Make a decision to give people a "Grace Pass" upfront. That way, when they do something to hurt or disappoint you, you can extend them “grace by default.” That allows you continue to enjoy the liberty that has been set aside for you. Choose freedom: Love & Forgive easily.

There are a million more things I could probably say, but I just wanted to offer a few words to encourage you as you move forward in this year. Your journey may not be a Gravy Train rolling on Biscuit Wheels, but you can choose to learn the lessons and grow from them. As I mature, one of the greatest lessons I've learned is that life is not about the destination. It's all about the journey. And you'll be wise to grab a few nuggets along the way.

Happy New Year!

Tangie

It is so very hard to articulate something so special and intangible. I am still trying to wrap my head around what took place. The whole preparation process for The Courageous Woman Retreat was a journey of lessons even up until moments before we began.  So I knew that God was up to something and it was going to be GOOD.  While I didn't know any of the ladies who were attending, God knew them and wanted them to know how much they were loved. I was just a vessel and I am so grateful for the privilege.

The day started off at the spa where the ladies had breakfast and a spa treatment. For some, it was their first spa experience, so it was pretty cool. Afterwards, we convened in the meeting space to begin the workshops.  I opened with prayer and LuJuana led us in song. First up, Workshop #1, The Courage to Be Me. The ladies explored several questions related to being totally free to be themselves. And one special Sistah from each session was chosen to sit in the hot seat, share her answers and receive a mini coaching session. It was an amazing experience for everyone involved.

Workshop #2 was The Fearless Life. We talked about releasing the brakes, walking on water and launching out into the deep. Great revelations came forth and then it was lunch time. We enjoyed lunch, but we also had fun taking photos with the Pink Guitar, Feather Boa & Funky Shades. It was a great opportunity for the ladies to take a walk on the "Fearless Side" by releasing their inhibitions & just going with it.

After lunch, we started Workshop #3, Forever Free, and that was a pivotal point for a lot of the ladies. Their Aha Moments were being crystallized as they realized that they were free to laugh, free to love & free to live. LuJuana then sang a stirring rendition of "I Am Changing" and we were all in tears. That primed us to close out with a covenant agreements to our sisters. We pledged to honor the bond of sisterhood and hold each other accountable to our dreams.

The big "Take Away" was that being a Courageous Woman is, indeed, a journey with many starts and stops. But with God's direction and the support of our sisters, NOTHING is impossible for us!

Stay tuned. There WILL be another Inspired Sistah retreat next year!

Live Courageously,
Tangie

Special Thanks To:

My husband, Jessie Henry of FlavaChordz.com for always loving, supporting and cheering me on.

Asabi Ifaramomi of Sacred Grove Designs for providing the amazing Courageous Woman Retreat logos.

Ada Johnson with Fear4lyMade Body Oils for creating the signature Courageous Woman body butter, Fearlessly Me.

Sha-Rhonda Davis of Empowered2Change, LLC, for loving, supporting & believing in the vision.

Dan & Chris Smith for always quietly supporting, encouraging & loving.

Renee Frisby Jones for believing in the vision enough to share of her resources.

Elisha Akram of Kustom Kreations for capturing beautiful images and having a beautiful spirit to match.

Sherilynn Marilyn of ImStylynn for making me look beautiful & courageous.

Tammie, Kenyatta, Seante, Brigitte with Team IS for your tireless prayers, contributions, love, support & work to demonstrate to the world that Inspired Sistahs really do rock REAL HARD!

All of the beautiful, bold, courageous women who attended the retreat. Thank you for obeying the call. Keep soaring, Sistahs!

So I've finally taken the plunge. I ditched my PC (sort of) & bought a Macbook. My reason for wanting a Mac was because I wanted to increase my video & graphic abilities, and I heard Mac was the way to go. Plus, I have an iPhone & iPad, which I love, so why not, right?  Well, I have to be honest and say that my plunge has been more like a slow crawl and I haven't quite made it to the land of computer bliss, yet.  But in my frustration of making the transition, I have learned a couple of lessons that I think can be applied to life.

1. If you scared, say you scared!

The first thing that is glaringly obvious is that there IS a difference between the navigation of a Mac & a PC. While there are a lot of similarities, the differences have been frustrating and intimidating.  I have waved my white banner and sent up SOS signals more than once and to as many people who will listen.  In life, change can be scary. And while we know that we have not been given the spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7), it's okay to acknowledge the fear so that you'll know which enemy you're fighting.  Applied knowledge is power.  If you're walking around in a state of denial or a pseudo-spiritual fog, you will miss the opportunity to tap into your power to defeat the enemy of fear, worry, lack or defeat. So, if you're scared, say you're scared, and then suit up your armor. Here's a hint: The fight is fixed! You win in the end!

2. Familiarity keeps you bound.

I'll admit that many times, while navigating my Macbook, I just want to go back to my PC.  I've worked on a PC all of my life.  I'm familiar with its functions, I understand its limitations and we're like old friends.  Comfortable.  But what I know to be true is that "comfort is the enemy to progress."  The moment you're too comfortable in a situation, you lose your edge. You lose your drive and desire to improve.  You settle for "good enough" and you stop growing.  That is such the opposite of the life God has planned for you.  He has ordained an abundant, full, ever-evolving life. And MOST TIMES, you have to be willing to get uncomfortable to grow to the next level.  Understand that familiarity keeps you bound.

3. Just do it!

As it relates to the purchase of my Macbook, I had been thinking and talking about it for at least a year.  My laptop was a dinosaur in computer age and it had long stopped performing at its maximum level, despite tune-ups & upgrades.  Because of the nature of my work, I NEED a reliable computer.  So what was I waiting for?  My hard-drive to crash? (Been there, done that, too).  In life, many of us have goals, visions and dreams that we've been mulling over for years. We're waiting for the "right conditions" before we go back to school, launch a new career or start our ministry.  But the Bible admonishes us that, "He who observes the wind [and waits for all of the conditions to be favorable] will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap" (Ecc. 11:4 Amp).  In other words, waiting for everything to be perfect stops you from moving forward and subsequently hinders you from reaping the benefits of attaining your goal. So, my encouragement to you is to just do it!

In life, I've experienced my greatest rewards when I just went for what I wanted despite my fears or uncertainties.  It's okay if you don't know all of the answers, just trust in the One who does.  Understand that God has your best interest at heart and desires that you live the abundant life that He ordained for you.  As for me and my Mac?  I'm going to keep getting back on the saddle until I get it.  I understand that the reward will be great...only if I keep trying.

These are the lessons I've learned from my Mac.  Do you have any to share? I'd love to hear from you!

The year 2011 was a very interesting year for me on a lot of different levels. I began the year with the intent to be laser focused on the mission of Inspired Sistah and taking the organization to another level. I had a nice, neat plan of attack and was in forward motion to make it happen. Well, life happened and a lot of things occurred differently than how I imagined them, but the education I received from "Life University" is worth sharing:

1. They that be with you are more than they that be against you.
A huge lesson that I had to learn was that not everyone will embrace my message. And that's really actually okay because I'm not called to serve everyone. But as a person who is passionate about my message, it was a bitter pill to swallow. However, in conjunction with that, I've also come to understand that there are more that are for me than against me.

2. Let Folks Go.
This has been a very painful lesson for me because I have been forced to release people who I really like, but they are in a different space than I am and want different things. I've learned that if I'm their option, they can't be my priority...Simple.

3. Listen to your gut.
As women, we've been gifted with intuition. Call it your "gut," a "hunch," that "still, small Voice,” whatever. The fact of the matter is that oftentimes, God gives us a warning or admonition about a situation long before the bottom falls out. LISTEN!

4. Don't allow anyone to discount your greatness.
There may be people who have watched you grow and evolve who still want to remember "when..." They may try to hold you to that old standard and have a difficult time embracing the new standard. Well, that's their problem, not yours. Continue to grow, abound and soar and don't let anyone discount your greatness.

5. Don't allow your purpose to get muddled in the details.
More likely than not, your purpose is an ever-changing entity with a lot of moving parts. Because of that, it's easy to get lost in the minutia. If you're not careful, your vision can become clouded in the fine print. Don't allow that to happen. Staying focused on your "why" will help keep you grounded and encouraged.

6. Even when you count up the cost, you still may not fully understand the true price of greatness.
On the ladder of success, it is not uncommon to look at someone in awe whom you deem as being a few rings higher up on the ladder. But what I've come to understand is that positions of influence come at a great cost. And even if you think you understand that cost, you may not even have a clue!

7. Take no prisoners!
At certain seasons of your journey, there may be individuals that present themselves as helpers, supporters or benefactors. They may be a tremendous blessing to you for a season, but when their season is up, release them to continue on to their destiny. Do not hold them hostage to your dream. Because once they become prisoners, they will no longer be a blessing, but unwilling participants that weigh the vision down.

8. Everybody ain't ready.
You'll meet a lot of people who say that they want to go to the next level. Or give a false perception of themselves as though they operate at a certain level of excellence. But the truth of the matter is that they're really not ready to make the type of sacrifices or commitment it takes to ascend to and sustain greatness.  Don’t judge them.  Just keep it moving.

9. You’ve got to have a plan. Passion is not enough.
It's important that you write your vision and make it plain so that you can have a blueprint for your success. Having passion with no plan will only sustain you for a short amount of time. Properly preparing for your passion gives greater credence and sustainability to your purpose.

10. Consistency is the key. Slow and steady wins the race.
To create a lasting legacy, you must commit to consistent, diligent effort. You can't hit and miss and expect lasting results. Before large infrastructures can be built, a firm, sturdy foundation must be laid in order to support its weight. So it is when you're cultivating your purpose, you must be willing to stick with it even when you're tired, discouraged and disillusioned because the moment that you slack may be the moment right before your breakthrough.

I’m sure there are countless others that I have failed to list, but these were the top ten pressing on my heart.  Like everyone else, I’m excited about what 2012 has to offer.  That excitement is fueled by expectation and the wisdom I’ve gained from 2011.  It’s been good, but I’m looking forward to even better!

New Year’s Blessings,

Tangie

THE COURAGEOUS WOMAN RETREAT: LIVING FEARLESS & FREE

This year’s retreat is focused on the purposed driven woman who needs the moxie to stay focused and fearless and free.

COURAGE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR, BUT MOVING FORWARD DESPITE YOUR FEARS. 

This retreat is for any woman who has a dream, a call or a mandate that requires courage to carry it out.  This retreat is for any woman who wants to move forward in a bold, new way and impact her environment on a significant level.  This retreat is for any woman who desires the company of her sisters to help strengthen and encourage her on her journey.

THIS RETREAT IS FOR YOU.

The retreat is being held at The James Madison Inn, a Boutique Hotel graced with beauty, elegance and charm, located in the heart of beautiful, Historic Madison, Georgia, just one hour’s drive from Atlanta, GA.

Registration* Includes:

• Interactive Workshops focused on living fearless and free in every area of your life
• Continental breakfast each day of the retreat
• Light lunch and dinner options
• An Inspired Sistah t-shirt 
• An Inspirational Gift Bag
• Unparalleled bonding and interaction with other sistahs

Space is extremely limited to only 20 ladies.

*Hotel accomodations are NOT included.  Please call 706-342-7040 to reserve your room. Ask for the Inspired Sistah block rate to receive your discount.

Want to know what happened last year?  Click here.

Registration begins February 15th. See you there!

http://courageouswomanretreat.eventbrite.com

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