For each of you

For every girl who is tired of acting weak when she is strong, there is a boy tired of appearing strong when he feels vulnerable.

For every boy who is burdened with the constant expectation of knowing everything, there is a girl tired of people not trusting her intelligence.

For every girl who is tired of being called over-sensitive, there is a boy who fears to be gentle, to weep.

For every boy for whom competition is the only way to prove his masculinity, there is a girl who is called unfeminine when she competes. 

For every girl who throws out her e-z-bake oven, there is a boy who wishes to find one.

For every boy struggling not to let advertising dictate his desires, there is a girl facing the ad industry's attacks on her self-esteem.

For every girl who takes a step toward her liberation, there is a boy who finds the way to freedom a little easier.

Adapted from a poem by Nancy R. Smith.

sumber

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Instagram, twitter: christyy_21

I'm an insane

Dear you.

Oh yes, you!

I know you'll never read this useless post in this useless blog well I mean, I know you'll never read this. So I bravely write this for you, to be honest to what I feel to you. 

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You made me laugh a lot. You're quite funny! Well, maybe you're not that good-looking; but your funny face and funny personality makes me laugh all the time (if I don't laugh in real life, I must be laughing silently inside my heart). 

Your acts are unpredictable. Very awkward sometimes, and freakin' idiotic in particular moments. You're very blushful to tell something honestly, but I do love your honesty! I do, because I know you plucks up your courage just to tell your honesty to me. 

I like you very much. I like almost every side of you. Your awkwardness especially: it makes me laugh like insane. 

The point of this post is... Nothing I guess? I just want to write something about you. Why? Dunno... Can you help me to find the answer? You're a good guesser sometimes, you know? 

You reminds me of him most of the times. You acts like him sometimes, or it's just boys' normal attitude that I dunno all this time? But oh well I still can find difference between both of you. Case closed.

What are you doing rite now...? I'm curious about it, dunno why.

Some of ppl who are reading this will think that I'm weird... Do you? I know I am really weird sometimes. But if I don't do this (posting useless things that express my random feelings), my blog would be empty right now.

AH GA TAUK AH. UDAHAN AH. GALO AH. DADAH!

A Nation of Haters?

When did we become such a nation of haters? I am disappointed in this. That's an understatement! It's sad to me that we used to be a nation of people who aspired to greater. Now we just want to get by, antagonize those who want more for themselves and then try and take what they earn. Jealousy, envy and rivalry have filled the hearts of so many that it's unusual to hear sincere congratulatory statements anymore.

Think about how rare it is to find someone who will celebrate with you. It's more common that people will celebrate when you cry.

Even compliments are too often backhanded - only offered wrapped inside a criticism towards the target or someone else... "You look nice today... unlike that ugly person over there..." or "You look a lot better today than you normally look..." or, as I heard someone say the other day, "Scandal is good.  At least it doesn't suck like... "   I am screaming inside "WHY CAN'T YOU JUST SAY YOU LIKE SCANDAL AND LEAVE IT AT THAT!?!?"

To me the cause is clear. Too much time spent minding other peoples' business and not enough on your own... because you have no business of your own to excite you! You see, it's easy to criticize when you take no chances of your own. And you hurl accusations at others because it hurts your heart to be honest - those criticisms are for you! You're angry with and disappointed in yourself!

Here are the guidelines for my life and my personal circle: I don't spend time with people who can't appreciate others, who can't compliment, who can't care. I won't entertain your comments. You don't have access to my emotions. There are enough of your kind around. I'm sure you can find some company. In the mean time, the rest of us will be making progress towards our visions. I aim on giving people more to envy.

I've noticed how difficult it is for some of us to give sincere compliments consistently. Complaints seem to roll off the tongue a lot easier. "Feedback" will be offered whether requested or not. I'm issuing myself a Live Big Die Empty Challenge today: No complaints, no deprecation; only praise and appreciation. Everyone I encounter today will receive "exuberant edification" instead of constructive criticism. How about you?

It takes nine compliments to undo the damage of one criticism.  How much damage have you been doing to yourself?  To others?  It's time to start healing and building up!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

Curl!

Last Wednesday, I went to Nabiilah's home and yes, she curled my hair! Unexpectedly, my hair become very short and I felt like I wasn't me! Well, you know, Christy that everybody know is Christy with extremely straight hair. I mean, many people says that I got a very nice hair, but I don't get which part of my hair makes it called as 'very nice hair'. But Christy is a curly girl last Wednesday! It's fun to be different sometimes!

I was very excited about my curly hair so I took soooo many photos of myself being curly girl lol. I felt like kinda alay but OH OKAY THIS IS ME BEING MYSELF! \m/

What do you think, what do you think? I know, I know this post is another-post-of-my-narcissistic. Forgive me. Do you know dat rabbit in the second panel? It's a rabbit from Line Pokopang game. His name's Bony if I don't wrongly remember his name. He's very cute right? I mean, just look at his funny face!

Another narcissistic attack. Excuse the first panel... My face looks terribly idiotic there.

Aaaaand actually, this curly hair survived till the next day! Well, it's not as curly as in the photo anymore in the next day of course. It looks like dis yesterday. 

I think that's all for today! Now just imagine how naughty I am: curl my hair meanwhile I'm still in my mid-test-week. 

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Instagram, twitter: christyy_21

7 Ways to Form A "Pack" So You Can Hunt Bigger Game

We've talked before about what each of us can learn from the lion, the king of the jungle. I've got a particular fondness to lions because of a couple of things the scriptures teach us about the nature of these big cats and how we're to emulate them.  We also know that too many of us spend too much time and too much effort for too little result because we try to fight alone. .Here are some things you can do to start forming your own pack and going after bigger game.

#1 - Make a list of all the people who care about the issue. Really care about it.

#2 - Identify two of them to talk to. Set up a breakfast or lunch meeting. Lay out my aspirations to see if they are interested. My goal is to get another meeting with them.

#3 - Brainstorm with the first supporter about a list of (mostly unempowered) targets who might like to get involved. Put together a tight schedule for contacting 5-10 people from that list.

#4 - Start a master file listing all the people that I want involved in the project.

#5 - Never let a chance to brief a co-conspirator or potential co-conspirator pass.  In other words, never pass up a chance to tell your story!

#6 - Find an enthusiast to use the product/service.

#7 - Put this first enthusiast in charge of finding others.

It's as simple as that.  We have to stop trying to do so much alone.  And, for my friends reading this... Yes. I am looking in the mirror right now!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

Complicated

Well, hello. I'm here today to kill myself ask something. 

What will you do 
if you're doing what you shouldn't do? 
Okay, I bet you'll answer me with "I'll stop doing it"... Now how if you can't stop? How if you really want to stop, but you can't? And yeah, that's my problem right now. I can't stop doing what I shouldn't do and unfortunately if I can't stop, I'll hurt somebody's heart. 

I don't want this (yeah of course, who wants to have problems?), but I can't stop... 

If I can't stop; not only hurt somebody's heart, I also become a bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad-bad girl. Yeah, a really bad girl. I don't want to! I really don't want to... But I am a bad girl now. Sorta.  

 

I bet you're finding out that this is a weird post. Or you're not? 

I know how to stop this. I tried. And I failed. 
Maybe the right question is 'how to force myself to die' HASDFGHJKL ERROR OCCURRED. 

I wish I'm actually sleeping now, and this is only a long nightmare. I wish this is not real.

I'm stressed out. Kontroversi hati. Kudeta cinta. And everything Japanese and Asia. 

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Instagram, twitter: christyy_21

Kagamine Rin: I Like You, I Love You

ne ne ne nee, ne, chotto ii
isogashii nara, gomen
sukoshi dake, ne sukoshi de ii
oshaberi ni tsukiatte

dou shiyou ka nani shiyou ka
etto geemu demo suru
shiritori shi yo
shiri to ´ri´ ´ ri´ n.
gomen ne, tsuduka nai ne

onaka suka nai nani ka tabe tai
e eto, atashi mizu de ii ya
kimi monita kara me o hanashi ta
suki ni hisshi ni shimyureeto
sorenanoni baka mitsume rare tara
nodo ga kawai te koe de nai
puha dou shiyou
ano ne, jitsuha ru
dame da, yappari kowai no

kimochi tsutae ta iyo anata ni
kono kimochi doushite kurushii no

ne ne ne nee, ne, chotto ii
isogashii nara, gomen
sukoshi dake, ne sukoshi de ii
oshaberi ni tsukiatte

dou shiyo uka nani shiyo uka
etto sore ja janken shiyo
jankenpon aiko desho
gomen ne, tsumaranai ne

onaka suka nai nani ka tabe tai
e eto, atashi mizu de ii ya
ano ne, tokorode, toutotsu da kedo
okashii tte omottara gomen
bikkuri suru kamo shire nai no
demo ne, kii te hoshii, e eto
puha dou shiyou
ano ne, jitsuhare
dame da, yappari kowai no

kimochi tsutae ta iyo anata ni
kono kimochi doushi te kurushii no

ano ne, jitsuha,
a ta atashi, ata, atashi, ano, ano
ano ne, anata ga, aa,
atashi, gomen, matte a ta atashi
a ta, atashi, ano, ano ne,
anata ga, su

ano ne, jitsuha no sono, atashi, ata
atashi, ano, ano, ano ne,
anata ga, aa
atashi, gomen, matte, ano ano ne
e eto, atashi
anata no koto ga
ano ne atashi anata no koto
ano ne atashi anata no koto
atashi wa anata ga

su, su, su,su, su, su, su su
su, su, su, su, su, su, su, su,
suu, waa gomen, wasure te
matte!
su, su, su, su, su, su su, su
su, su, su, su, su su su su
su, su, su, su, su, su, su su

~suki, daisuki!

Hello, October

Goodbye September... and oh hello, October! 

• 15 months w/ my bf on October 6.  

Yeeeeehaaaa! Will reach 15 months relationship with him in 5 days from now on. I wish I could be a better gf for him; stop complaining etc. and be a good girl. Also, I wish he would be better too; be more romantic (you wont believe how un-romantic he is) and act nicer to me :p 

• I'll have my mid-test this month starting with October 7.

You've gotta kidding me, this is my first time having test week in VHS, and I just know that I should do three tests in a day: I went mad just with two tests a day (when I was in JHS) and now three? *bang my head to the wall repeatedly* but yeah, the show must go on. Wish me luck for my first test week ever in VHS... :')

• My choir group will perform on October 20.

Kewl, rite? Lol just kidding... But I don't even remember when the last time I performed somewhere in a choir group. And yes, the choir group I mean is my friends in vocal extracurricular. We'll perform in a mall in Tangerang, the songs are Heal The World, Indonesia Jaya, and my school's jingle. Need to practice a lot. Practices makes perfect (/'3')/

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October, 

please be nice! 

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Instagram, twitter: christyy_21 

Becoming Your Best Self

This has been EVERYTHING to me. If you're on my personal page, you saw me talk about this the other day. Even so, take this a reminder. Now you've heard it twice and you're accountable.  This is something I had to learn and practice for myself and I can tell you honestly.... this way lies happiness and fulfillment! 

You have an image of your best self in mind. Everyone does. Whether you see yourself as a speaker, an author, a teacher, a student, a wife and mother, a happy husband greeting his family at the door, everyone has a picture in their mind of their best self.

My encouragement to you today is that it is important that you take steps towards that picture every day. I can't stress enough how important that is. For some of you, it is a matter of life and death. Too long operating outside of your ideal image damages EVERYthing in your life. It can lead to health problems, challenges in your spiritual walk, relationship problems and parenting issues. Believe me. I know! It can even lead to depressive states.

Some call it "cognitive dissonance" when you have something YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD BE DOING but you continue to allow yourself not to do it. For example, you KNOW you should launch that business, but you hesitate. You KNOW you should ask that woman out on a date, but you don't. The longer you continue to deny your best self, the more you begin to lose that self.  You begin to slip backwards.  You become frustrated and often don't know why.

Keep taking steps towards who you know you're meant to be. A wonderful added benefit is how great you will begin to feel about yourself and your life once you know you're fighting for progress even in small ways! Go forward! #BabyStepsCountToo #KeepMoving

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

Stitch-ed!

He is the cutest creature ever that ever existed!

I loooooove this funny blue alien so much-much-much!

And yeah, since the weather is getting hotter lately, his favorite thing is the fan.

Click, click!

A few hours ago, I felt like I really need to take some selcas, and I did. I took my tab and started my photo session: click, click! With the help of Camera360, Fotorus, and Meitu (those are names of photo editor apps; if you're a girl, you should've known that lol), I got two new selcas.

I love how Fotorus creatively make so many kind of collages, and this one is my favorite! For filter, I usually use Meitu because it's easier to use. It also has a lot of various filters. 

I took this one using timer. It's a miracle right? I mean, look at the first panel: I smiled while showing my teeth. That's very rare pose of me! :3

I use Camera360 very often; it hides pimples and makes your face looks flawless. You know, girls. Sometimes, they would do anything to looks prettier even if only on photos lol. For selcas, I prefer front camera than back camera. But my cellphone's front camera doesn't have very good quality, so I usually use my tab to take selcas.

Well, as a conclusion, I think I just posted a semi-review post. I just reviewed those photo editor apps, rite? Firstly, I just want to share my new selcas lol :p at least my post just became more meaningful, and those apps should thank me for this! :'3

Heal The World

There’s a place, in your heart, and I know that it is love
And this place, could be much brighter than tomorrow
And if you, really try, you’ll find there’s no need to cry
In this place, you’ll feel there’s no hurt or sorrow

 

There are, ways to get there
If you care enough for the living
Make a little space…
Make a better place…

Heal the world, make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are, people dying, if you care enough for the living
Make a better place, for you and for me

 

If you want, to know why, there’s a love that cannot lie
Love is strong, it only cares for joyful giving
If we try, we shall see, in this bliss we cannot feel
Fear or dread, we stop existing and start living

Then it, feels that always, love’s enough for us growing
Make a better world,
And make a better world…

Heal the world, make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are, people dying, if you care enough for the living
Make a better place, for you and for me

And the dream we were conceived in will reveal a joyful face
And the world we once believed in will shine again in grace
Then why do we keep strangling life
Wound this earth crucify it’s soul
Though it’s plain to see, this world is heavenly, be God’s glow

We could fly, so high, let our spirits never die
In my heart, I feel you are all my brothers

Create a world, with no fear, together we’ll cry happy tears
See the nations turn their swords into plowshares

We could, really get there, if you cared enough for the living
Make a little space, to make a better place…

 

Heal the world, make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are, people dying, if you care enough for the living
Make a better place, for you and for me

Heal the world, make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are, people dying, if you care enough for the living
Make a better place, for you and for me

Heal the world, make it a better place
For you and for me and the entire human race
There are, people dying, if you care enough for the living
Make a better place, for you and for me

There are, people dying, if you care enough for the living
Make a better place, for you and for me 

 

You and for me (make a better place)
You and for me (make a better place)
You and for me (make a better place)
You and for me (heal the world we’re living)
You and for me (save it for our children)
You and for me (heal the world we’re living)
You and for me (save it for our children)
You and for me (heal the world we’re living)
You and for me (save it for our children)
You and for me (heal the world we’re living)
You and for me (save it for our children)

sumber

 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you real?

Are you real?
Are you honest to me?
Are you grateful for our first meet?

Are you fake?
Are you lying to me?
Are you regretting our first meet?

Do you like me; for real?
Or are you perforced to be with me,
not because you're liking me?

Sorry if I accidentally bothering you,
but this is me.
I'm me being myself. 

Ba dum tss!

Lately, I go home late because I have to attend so many extracurricular activities. I only can go home on time on Mondays and Wednesdays. But today, I went home late because I was drum practicing in one of my school's music studio (my school has three music studios) with Nabiilah and Rani. We practice while waiting for Grace; she need to band practice with other ppl. 

I'm super amateur about music instruments. I have a guitar, keyboard, pianika*, and flute in my home but I can't play those instruments correctly. I mean, I play them perfunctorily; just for fun. But doesn't mean those instruments are useless in my house. I use the guitar for my music lesson at school and my sis can play keyboard a little. Also, I used to play pianika and flute in elementary school. *pianika is a music instrument that looks like a keyboard, but it's smaller and we need to blow the rubber tube to make its sound

Nabiilah, Rani, and Grace are in band extracurricular team. I really want to join but I can't because band extracurricular activity is on Fridays, together with taekwondo activity. They learned how to play drum! Drum is one of music instruments that I really want to learn. I also want to be able to play guitar. Why? Well, because it's cool: be able to play music instruments. 

While Grace practicing, Nabiilah, Rani, and I 'play' in the studio right next to her studio. We play drum and the piano, make noises like crazy. Like I said, I'm super amateur about music instruments, but as everyone knows: photos are the best liar. Here's the proof:

Do I look like a professional drummer? Lol. Ini mah cuma keren di foto doang, aslinya kagak bisa maennya, cuma asal gebuk aja. But I didn't lie that I really want to learn how to play drum! I wish I'll have time to learn how to! 

We went home at around 3 pm. I still want to asal gebuk drum play the drum, but I'll get scolded if I go home too late. I met my JHS friend on public transport, she was Devi Elora. She's in SMAN1TRA now. 

'kay, I think that's all for today. See you next time! 'w')/

15 on 21

Happy birthday to me! 

Well, this is a late post. My birthday is yesterday.

I met my boy yesterday, too! He gave me a new wallet as my birthday gift and it's super cute, I totally love it! I also got a new panda doll from my classmate, Mario :p 

And the very good news is:

I didn't get splashed yesterday! 

She's 15 now. Yes, she is.

I wish in my new age, I'll get maturer (but whatever, I loooove being childish), happier, smarter, prettier lol, and of course be better :'3

 
Thanks God, I'm 15 now!  ★

"Fortune favors the bold."

Normally there's only one quality separating those who are successful in achieving meaningful goals and those who aren't: a bias towards action. You're thinking about doing it; they're doing it. Or trying it.

"Develop a bias towards action!"

Makes no difference between the two because once you get going, it's easier to correct your course. They always said it's easier to steer a moving vehicle, right? Either way, the longer you contemplate, the less likely you are to EVER achieve what's really on your heart to do. The calculations of what can go wrong will keep mounting in your mind.

The only way to fix this is to commit to acting and ACT!  Yesterday I posted about "fortune" a few times. By "fortune" I do not mean "luck" since luck is too tied to chance. When I say fortune, I'm speaking of opportunity.

Fortune is a woman, if you neglect her today expect not to regain her. - Unknown

Fortune, being a lady, favors the bold. - Nicolo Machiavelli

You will never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. - Christopher Columbus

There's a common theme in all of these thoughts: The more you act... the more you take chances...the more you go beyond what you're usually comfortable doing... the more you will succeed!

Now get out of my way.  I've got moves to make, too!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

Totally Random

As I told before, my classmates are soooo random. Some people are very noisy, some are too quiet, and many more. Lately, I hang out with Nabiilah, Rani, Grace, and Lorens. I always go home with them by public transport (angkot) except Lorens. Her house is not in line with us. 

We laugh and being crazy together! For example, we went to Nabiilah's house last week: actually, we went to Nabiilah's house to do our chemical group-work, but we were too lazy and ended up with playing and took many crazy photos in Nabiilah's room... 

Now try to to recognize which one's me, Nabiilah, Rani, or Grace! If you check my previous posts, you'll easily know the answer (or just easily click our names...)! By the way, all photos taken using Nabiilah's Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 (if I'm not wrong), supported by Camera360 lol.

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"Friends show their love in times of trouble, not in happiness."
-Euripides-

My Wall of Gratitude

I heard about this idea years ago. About a decade really. This is what's called a Wall of Gratitude and it's designed to help you remember and celebrate the goodness that's in your life. (Too often we focus on what we lack.) This is mine. This is 100% how I have it in my journal with corrections only for my chicken-scratch induced misspellings when I wrote these out by hand. I'd like to share them with you.

This list represents some of the people for whom I am truly grateful, but have never felt as if I have had an adequate opportunity to thank properly.  Bear with me because my list is very long. There are a lot of people who have helped me in large and small ways for which I am eternally grateful. There’s a fair chance a lot of people I’m about to list don’t even know how much they have impacted my journey through life.

Alvin and Dorothy McCray for being the best parents and support system ever.
Timothy and LaTanya McCray for being in my corner.
Pastor Thaddeus Eastland for helping me put the pieces of my life back together.
My Facebook Friends for reading my rants when I needed some therapy.
Paul Grohman, John Cruise and Steven Kaufman for teaching me about excelling in business.
Christian Smith and Leroy Nellis for teaching me that excellence comes through teamwork.
Duncan Butler for showing me there was more in me than I could see.
Tipton Ross, Bill Morrow and Eileen Kret for knocking off some of the rough edges off a country boy.
Janice Marshall for expecting a young kid from Texarkana to do something with his life.
Melissa Gray for telling me how great I was even when I knew I wasn't that great.
My daughters (Kennedy, Courtney and Mackenzie) for loving their dad even when their dad wasn't being lovable.

To all of you, THANK YOU!!!

I have more.  Many more.  I probably need to do a second volume.  In fact, I think I'll start on that right away.  More people already come to mind.

Now start your own Wall of Gratitude! Better yet, why not share here somebody for whom you're grateful!? Tag them. Let them know how much you appreciate them. Focus on good things and watch more good things come into your life!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

The Worthlessness of Feeling Worthless

Anybody else ever feel worthless? I'm not talking about being unworthy before God. To be worthless, is quite different. While being unworthy is about our merits, being worthless is about our value. I'm talking about how horribly stagnating feeling worthless (of little or of no value) is as a man or a woman. When someone feels worthless, they feel as if they are insignificant and have nothing valuable to offer the world.

Am I the only one who has ever felt that way? Just me?

That's okay. I'll testify on my own.

First, let's be clear about something.  Nobody can make you feel worthless.  No matter what is said or done to you, only you own that power. Quite honestly, if you think people can make you feel worthless, you're being a victim - and victims never win.

Feeling worthless had been a struggle area of mine for a long time. No one's fault but mine. Sure.  People had words to say intended to tear me down, but I didn't become torn down until I took those words and made them my own.  I allowed feelings of guilt to strip me of my self-worth.  I felt like I "deserved" everything bad that came my way.  (Which is ironic because I hate the word "deserve" normally.  As it turns out, I only hated it when it came to discussing good things.)

What I found is that feeling worthless is a waste of time.  Until you allow yourself to know you're truly worthy, you will reject every blessing that comes. It won't even matter if that blessing literally begs to be a part of your life.  That's what I was doing.  I was rejecting blessings of all kinds... business, ministry, financial, relational.  Whatever.  If it was good, I was rejecting it.  In my mind, I wasn't good enough for it.  That's the enemy's work.  He might not be able to stop the blessings from coming, but he can influence you to reject the gift.  Get me?  I had to learn to start speaking blessings over my life and making positive proclamations about my person and purpose.  Had to.  No choice except to learn how to believe good things about myself or stay in a hole emotionally.

Full confession is that this is still something I battle about every other day or three.  What I've learned to do is use positive affirmations more aggressively and even sing praise and worship songs in the morning.  When that isn't working, I am fortunate to have friends, family and loved ones who'll remind me that I'm talking myself down (again) and they will help me snap out of it.

This is a longer blog than I normally post.  I hope someone is hearing me and makes a commitment to themselves to start speaking God language.  Life and not death.  I even open to having you remind me if you catch me in error.  This is about life so you've got to get it right! I've got to get it right - and I will.  Believe that!  You will get it right, too! I believe in us and the work the Holy Spirit can do as we're yielded to Him.

Keep speaking life.  As I've learned to speak life, I've seen increase in every area in which I've been intentional about my words.  It can feel silly if you're not accustomed to it, but speak life anyway.   Your words work even when it doesn't feel like it.  I'm a witness!

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

Who Are You? Call YOU Forth!

I feel like most people have an "inner greatness" just straining to come through to the surface.  I believe that with all my heart and mind.  I think you know it about yourself, too! I feel like I have a simple mission: to remind people of their potential for a greater life and then show them ways to get there.  That's pretty much it and I love it!

So my title to this blog is a little bit of a tease.  I think you've already got an image in your mind of you operating at your highest level! You just need to know how to get there.

Here's a tool you can use.  Like I told you on my Facebook page, I internalized a lot of negative images of myself over the last several years.  Life and some setbacks had robbed me of my confidence and even destroyed my positive self-definitions.  And while I've come a long way, I still work DAILY on reprogramming my mind. I know first hand the pain of limiting self-beliefs and how they can stagnate your life and stifle your purpose. I used to pray every day "Lord, rewire my brain! Help me to think differently!" because I knew I was operating on a level smaller than for what I was designed!

But I know I'm not alone. That's why I am so aggressive about topics such as taking action, visualization and speaking life! You don't have to be limited anymore! You can have God's best for your life and it's going to begin with a step that sometimes feels silly or unnecessary.  You've got to speak it!

You gotta believe it and speak it... it starts there. Death and life are in the power of the tongue.  Everything that you see in yourself, start calling it out!

I am successful!
I am in great shape!
I accomplish my goals!
I am a finisher!
I am a college graduate!

Whatever you see, start speaking it as specifically as you can.  Your words shape your life.  As you learn to speak life over yourself and your future, your actions will begin to line up with your new thoughts and you'll see the world itself begin to open up new pathways for you. Watch what I say! 

Mark Anthony McCray helps people live on PURPOSE, achieve higher PERFORMANCE and experience true PROSPERITY. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you don't miss a thing and forward this to a friend if you found it helpful. All material © Copyright, Mark Anthony McCray unless otherwise noted!

He can be reached in the following ways:

Mark@LiveBIGDieEmpty.com
Phone: 281-846-5720
Twitter: @LiveBIGDieEmpty
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LiveBIGDieEmpty
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/markanthonymccray/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103149858138414160703/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/markanthonymccray
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/markmccray/

Click HERE for information on Mark as a speaker or presenter and HERE to learn about coaching programs to help you realize your potential and live more prosperously!

Trolled

Kapan ya

kali terakhir aku bersajak tentangmu?

Keegoisanku,

amarahku yang kekanak-kanakkan,

ditambah keinginanku yang berlebihan.

Bukan hanya kamu, 

kadangkala akupun benci 

dengan tingkah menyebalkanku ini. 

Bukan hanya kamu, 

akupun muak dengan diri ini

yang seringkali tak tahu diri.

Kamupun pasti lelah ya?

Menghadapi aku yang menyebalkan

pastilah membuatmu makan hati.

Lagi-lagi yang bisa kusampaikan hanyalah sepotong maaf.

Namun maukah kamu menerima maafku

untuk kesekian kalinya?

Walau aku tahu betul

bahwa pastilah ini bukan permintaan maafku yang terakhir, 

aku ingin kamu memaafkanku.

Dan aku ingin kamu tahu:

Seperti apapun menyebalkannya aku terhadapmu,

 bukan berarti aku membencimu.

Seperti apapun marahnya aku padamu,

tidak berarti aku membencimu.

Seperti apapun kamu menyakitiku,

sulit bagiku untuk membencimu.

Cinta ini belum berubah,

masih sama besarnya seperti dulu. 

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Bercandamu tadi itu tidak lucu:

Membuatku menangis karenanya!

Bercandamu tadi itu tidak lucu:

Kukira kamu bersungguh-sungguh!

Bercandamu tadi itu tidak lucu:

Buatlah candaan yang lebih bagus.

Aku takut.

Aku mengkhawatirkan saat dimana candaanmu akan jadi kenyataan.

Aku tidak mau kehilanganmu.

Aku tahu malam ini kamu bercanda.

Tapi kuharap malam ini kamu tidak berbohong.

Aku mencintaimu.

Jangan tertawa kalau kamu membaca ini.

Aku serius, lho! 

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