What is surprising about this Saturday?  Well, since my professional life seems to be narrowly focused on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) “Your OWN Show” video audition, you can imagine my surprise is related to the competition. I am surprised by the number of people coming together to dedicate a portion of their day – every day – to vote for me! It’s a humbling experience and also an exhilarating ride in which I am eternally grateful!  Of all the things I have ever done in my life, campaigning for myself is NOT one of them.  I’ve always been the one to lift up others, to promote others, to encourage and shout from the roof tops for others’ causes.  Not now.  Right now it is about ME.  So why would I do this now?  Am I changing?  Am I beocoming self-absorbed?  I asked myself the same question, and then I realized that I haven’t changed my point of view at all.  What I’ve done is realize that through a bigger media platform I will be able to serve others better.   I put on the thinking cap of “What would I do to help promote someone else?” and then apply that to my OWN campaign.

So, here I sit day after day voting, tweeting, Facebooking, and emailing family, friends, and associates asking for their support and reminding them to VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!  I know that getting a show on OWN is a long shot, but I am known to make the long shots.  I also know that the more people who see my audition video the more that will checkout my existing shows and that will help gain more listeners and viewers for my current guests.

There is something bigger out there for me and this is a chance for me to Make a Difference myself!

“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” -Pamela Vaull Starr

Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others,

It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important,

Only you know what is best for you.

Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart.

Cling to that as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.

Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or the future.

By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give.

Nothing is really over … until the moment you stop trying.

Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect,

It is the fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Don’t be afraid to encounter risks, It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find.

The quickest way to receive love is to give love.

The fastest way to lose love is to hold on too tightly,

And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don’t dismiss your Dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope.

To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget where you’ve been,

But also know where you’re going.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored every step of the way.

- Author Unknown

I wonder…

Am I on track?

Am I headed in the right direction?

Should I go that way?

What if I don’t go that way?

What if I do?

Where will I go?

What will I learn?

How will I change?

How will I grow?

Will I succeed?

Is it meant to be?

Who will come with me?

Who will stay behind?

Who will I meet?

Who will become my friend?

Who won’t like me?

Do I care?

Should I care?

Am I truly my authentic self?

Is the risk worth it?

What if I don’t take the risk?

How will I know what I missed?

Am I where I’m supposed to be?

I wonder what’s in store for me.

~ Angie Strader

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I am having one of those days in which I can actually feel the positive energy flowing around me like magic fairy dust with blessings as the little stars and sparkly stuff!  I can’t describe the feeling any better than that or tell where it’s coming from, but I can tell you it is definitely there.

There is peace and joy that comes with a feeling like I am experiencing today.  It’s like that warm fuzzy feeling I sometimes get, but I can usually readily put my finger on the source of where that energy is coming from.  Today, it hit me out of nowhere.  All of a sudden I had this knowing feeling that I am being blessed somewhere by someone and whoever it is, is either praying really hard for me or there is more than one at play here.

Okay, don’t think I freaked out here.  I usually don’t share this kind of thing in a blog post, but this is something different and unusual that I just had to share.  Have you ever felt such a thing?  I’m curious to see if this is something I’m learning to tap into through the work I am doing on myself and through the awesome connections coming into my life or if you think this is just a random warm happy feeling that is enjoyable, but doesn’t really mean anything.

Honestly, even if you told me it was all in my head I wouldn’t care because it is an amazing feeling and I don’t care where it is coming from.  I’m going to enjoy it and when (or if) it fades, I will welcome it next time around.

Magic or Manic?  You decide – and keep it to yourself!  Just kidding!  Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

~Angie

Enjoy the ride!

I was asked to be a guest co-host Girlfriends 2.0 Diva Toolbox radio show on BlogTalk radio yesterday with Cindy W. Morrison and the topic of  balance in your personal and professional life came up.  Those that know me well know that I believe that the whole concept of “Work/Life Balance” is crap is  unattainable.  I shared my thoughts on how life is more like a teeter-totter than a balance beam and then it got me thinking, and thinking and then the thinking turned into a dream I had last night… Anyway, I wanted to share with you a post I did some ago and would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.  I think I have work to do to help more women and men come to terms with being out of balance and still loving life!

Click the link below and let me know your thoughts on how you manage life’s ups and downs:

Question for you: Do you believe it is possible to achieve real work-life balance?

Click icon to listen to today’s inspirational message!

Today’s Quote

Anyway

~ Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

Today’s Tip

When in doubt…do the right thing!

Have a great week!

~ Angie and Joanie

Thoughts? Comments?

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Every now and then a song comes along that gets me pumped up and this is my current favorite.  I hope you enjoy the song and the video.  Those who know me will so get why I love this song!

If you liked this please share through Facebook, Twitter, Digg or other sites through the ‘share and enjoy’ below.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.  Thank you!

~ Angie

As you may know by now, I try to rhyme my daily posts and today the word mellow popped into my head.  I’m not so sure I can say that my Monday has been mellow.  Nope, in fact, it’s been a little hectic.  I think most Monday’s are that way – and Tuesday, and Wedn…. You get the point.

So, why Mellow Monday?  I think it is my subconscious reminding to mellow out.  As I find myself cranking through my to-do list, I find myself typing faster, abbreviating words and pausing only long enough for bio breaks.  And it hit me… checkout this post I did back in April 2009:  Spinning Wheel-Getting caught up in the spin cycle of life. 

I’m off to mellow out a bit and maybe even take a little nap…

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Your thoughts and comments are welcome.  Thank you!

A Mother’s Love

There are times when only a Mother’s love

Can understand our tears,

Can soothe our disappoints

And calm all of our fears.

There are times when only a Mother’s love

Can share the joy we feel

When something we’ve dreamed about

Quite suddenly is real.

There are times when only a Mother’s faith

Can help us on life’s way

And inspire in us the confidence

We need from day to day.

For a Mother’s heart and a Mother’s faith

And a Mother’s steadfast love

Were fashioned by the Angels

And sent from God above.

– Author Unknown

If there is one thing certain in this world – all thanks needs to start with God and our Mothers.

If you have a loving relationship with your mother, rejoice and let her know how much you appreciate her for bringing you into this world.  After all, like it or not, she didn’t have to.  You were a choice.  Even if you were adopted, you may have even more reason to rejoice as the choice was to have you and then give you as a gift to a family who wanted you even more.

You may not know your mother, you may not like your mother, you may not understand your mother, but without your mother, you wouldn’t be able to be feel abandoned, neglected, disappointed, or confused.

If your mother is no longer with you in the flesh, she is with you in spirit.  I believe she is by your side right now wishing you all the happiness and love in the world.  Take special private time today to tell your mom how you feel.  Tell her you miss her and love her and appreciate everything she did for you in her life.  You will see your mom again someday and then you too may be the one your children talk to in the quite moments of their day.

Many blessings, much love and above all, I honor all mothers out there!

~ Angie

How many of us use the phrase, “Thank Goodness It’s Friday!”?  All of us at one point at another, right?

Do you realize that Friday is just another amazing day of the week?  There really isn’t anything any more special about Friday than the poor little left out Tuesday.  Why don’t we wake up Tuesday morning and say, “Yay, it’s Tuesday!”?  Instead, we think things like, “Only three more days until Friday…<sigh>.”

Friday is a great day, but so is every other day of the week!

The real reason people count down to Friday each week is because they can’t wait to get away from their day-to-day drudgery so that they can find joy over the weekend.

Here is the secret about making the other six days of the week as special as Friday… do something you love and then no matter what day of the week it is, you will be enthusiastic and motivated.  If you do what you love, you may notice that Friday doesn’t even stand out as much as before because the weekdays and weekends begin to blend together – in a good way.

I encourage you to find joy in what you do and treat Friday (and every other day of the week) as a Fun Day full of promise and possibilities!

~ Angie

“Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves.They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.” –V. S. Naipaul