Nothing says welcome to summer like having to pay contractors thousands of dollars to evict birds who were nesting in our walls. 😒

How did they get there? Well, because there were holes in the roofs of our house and families of starlings were coming in and out and waking us up in the morning. They clearly wanted us to understand that we were the trespassers even as we have been paying the mortgage in THEIR HOUSE. 🤦🏾‍♀️

Bless!

Owning a home is overrated, y’all. And if the birds in my walls weren’t enough…

RANT

These cicadas are trash.

Can we talk about how these cicadas tried to hijack my entire life down in Tennessee?! 🤯

A few weeks ago, I was just trying to mind my own business, there to celebrate my mentor’s birthday. Rolling green hills, warm breeze, amazing people – it was giving all the good vibes to start the weekend.

That is until the cicada-palooza started! 🐜🐜🐜

One minute, it’s calm and serene. The next, it’s like the trailer for one of those apocalyptic insect invasion movies. These lil roaches of the sky started surrounding the whole scene, and it felt like they were everywhere. They make the trees actually sound like they are having a concert.

But the noise wasn’t even the worst of it. They are out here mating and then molting! Piles of them at the foot of trees, crunchy shells to step on everywhere. I heard tales of them dive-bombing into the necks and hair of other guests and I’m just grateful I avoided that level of interaction with them. 😵‍💫

Apparently, we’re in the return of a 31 and 17 year cycle of cicada invasion. Nature’s way too much and it turns out that even though there is a lot of fun to be had outside, I’m indoorsy and belong inside the comfort of four bug-free, newly reconstructed walls. And I heard they’re already in parts of Chicago so you can catch me inside all summer long, if that’s the case. 🙅🏾‍♀️

REFLECTION

Gratitude and Entitlement are Opposing Viewpoints.

I think about the ways we can be thankful, and the ways we can be disappointed from expectation. 🙏🏾

To me, the opposite of gratitude is entitlement. To be grateful is to understand that the blessings, the opportunities, the good things, weren’t foregone conclusions, so it’s best to really appreciate them.

Entitlement, on the other hand? To be entitled is to feel owed the good things so when they come, you don’t feel grateful but vindicated. Those who feel entitled think they should automatically receive the accolades, the achievements, the successes. 🥇🙅🏾‍♀️

Entitlement shouldn’t be confused with confidence, although it might mask itself to look the same. I’m CONFIDENT that I can do anything, but IF I do massive things, I’m GRATEFUL that they actually happened. I don’t feel like it was a certainty.

And that’s the trap of entitlement that so many fall into at times. We start to feel vindicated instead of grateful when the blessings manifest. We think “Yeah, that’s what I’m SUPPOSED to get!” And that’s dangerous because entitlement breeds an insatiable hunger that’s impossible to satisfy.

Once we get into that mindset of taking for granted what good comes, we’ll expect more without satisfaction. 🥀

Gratitude is where the magic is! Gratitude opens us up to receiving with grace. It allows us to breathe deeply into our now. We can bask and revel in the big and the small things, knowing that we receive it all in joy. 🎉

We are worthy, we are deserving of great things. And WHEN we get them, we should find the light in them. Because as much as all those things are true, life didn’t say it owes us anything but BREATH. And even that can be taken away in an instant.

Waking up this morning was a GIFT, not a foregone conclusion. We were not entitled to it, so while we’re here, what will we do with this present?

Every single positive thing we have or receive, big or small, is something to be immensely grateful for because it was never promised. So, take a quick moment today to stop, breathe and be grateful. ✨

RECOMMENDATION

Get POWER WORKSHOPS from The Book Academy!

That book you’ve been wanting to write? It’s time to get it off your spirit and onto shelves. And I want to help you do it. 📖💡

After working with over 400 aspiring authors, I’ve really learned there are three places people get stuck when writing their book – coming up with a great idea, writing the book proposal and marketing the book.

I am on a mission to help as many people get their books out into the world (especially people who aren’t white men). 📣 Sooo I’m announcing The Book Academy POWER WORKSHOPS, which are the 3 more valuable sessions, now available à la carte. 

Not sure where to start? START HERE. Now. Today. ▶️

Here are the sessions to choose from:

💡 VISIONS TO VERSES: Get Clear on Your Idea and Get Words on Paper – This is for you if you are stuck on what to write about. Maybe you don’t have your book idea ORRR you have TOO many ideas and don’t know which to move forward with. Both scenarios have the same result – keeping you stuck. This POWER WORKSHOP also helps you learn how to outline your book and establish a writing discipline.

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💡  POWERHOUSE PLAN: Create an Amazing Book Proposal – This is for you if you want to get an agent or get a book deal, and need to take action towards it. It’s also for you if you are self-publishing and wanna make sure you have a clear path to getting this book in the right hands. Why? Because EVERY book should start with a book proposal as the foundation, and not having one means your journey to becoming an author will be MUCH harder. 

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💡 MAGNETIC MARKETING: Launch Your Book Masterfully – This is for you if you want the blueprint on launching a book successfully, so it sells! 95% of books sell less than 5,000 copies. Let’s get you closer to being in that other 5%. Learn what I do that has sold hundreds of thousands of my books.

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These are all sessions where I give you the cheat codes and insider information that is often left out, and are critical to book writing and publishing.

And here’s a dope part – you know I stay looking out for y’all! If you grab these sessions, BEFORE June 11 at midnight CT, you’ll get 20% ($50) off each class. ⭐ 

Look – here’s what I know. The book you want to write will sit on your shoulders, wake you up at night or gnaw at you, until you get it done. Why? Because it’s an assignment undone. 📝

I’m here to help you remove the barriers to your book dreams coming true. I’ve been there, done that, got the credentials to prove it. 💪🏾

So… 

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve already written it and need to know how to get it in the hands of readers, I got you. 🙌🏾

P.S. I’m ONLY opening this vault til June 18, 2024. After that, it’s going away for a while in this format. And if it comes back, it will be at a higher price point. Sooo… come thru. ❤️

Who’s copping their session?? Hit reply and let me know which one you’re claiming! 👀