Tag: Speak Your Truth

Posted in blog, inspiration, inspirational, writing

A Blog on Writing and Personal Empowerment

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

This blog has gone through many transformations, but I feel the most recent one has been the most significant. I have spent a lot of time redesigning, revamping, and reconsidering how I want this blog to go in recent months. It took a while for me to fit the pieces together, but I am finally starting to see a picture form.

Up until a few weeks ago this blog has been me just throwing things out there that have come to me in my journey of life. For a great while it was solely dedicated to writing and writing posts. Then August of last year, I started the Speak Your Truth series because I decided I had more to say other than just writing. I think all of my actions on this blog have been leading me up to this.

It’s a coming out party for me. As I have decided I want to say more and do more. I have sat on the sidelines long enough. I want to get out there and do something. You see, just because I had a blog didn’t mean I actually did anything significant with it. It was simply a place to post ideas. But I want to start going beyond that and start engaging people. I want to be a place of not just ideas, but a place of inspiration and collaboration.

What does that mean exactly? I still don’t have all the pieces. I’m moving forward one step at a time. I want to add more online classes to offer what knowledge I have to those seeking it. I want to begin a weekly newsletter to help connect and motivate people. I want to help promote other authors and their work. I want to help inspire people to rise higher and claim their personal power.

So with all that in mind, I have changed the message behind this blog to more clearly state what it is I’m doing here. This is a blog on writing, but also a blog supporting and inspiring personal empowerment.

Writing fiction isn’t enough for me. I want to do more, be more, and give back more. I am excited in this new journey, and I hope all of you will enjoy it as I offer these new ideas and encouragement. I will close with one of my favorite quotes of all times.

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” ––Mahatma Gandhi

Posted in inspiration, inspirational

Speak Your Truth: Chasing the Magic Bullet

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

Sometimes we can’t help but hold on tight to a certain dream or idea. We cling desperately because we want change. We want more. We want out of a certain situation, but we just don’t know how to make that happen, but we dream. We make plans. A part of us believes it will never happen, but we still hope that there’s a magic bullet out there that will transform our lives into something better and grander than what we have.

Deep down we really cling to the hope that some magic bullet will appear and cut through all the crap, all the ridiculousness our lives have become and instantly make things better for us. That magic will make all the bad parts disappear or become irrelevant because our day has come, we have zipped past the problems and been catapulted into a dream come true.

We make excuses, because we have gotten so hung up on that particular idea (whatever the idea might be, it differs for everyone) to come save us so we don’t have to save ourselves. There’s not much forward motion. We are too busy waiting for that magic bullet. But one day we get tired of waiting, so we start doing something to help that dream along.

Maybe one day we wake up and it finally hits us that the magic bullet really isn’t coming, and we start to feel the pressure of doing it ourselves. The pressure builds and life just doesn’t seem fair. Others’ seem to get their magic bullet, so where is ours? Continue reading “Speak Your Truth: Chasing the Magic Bullet” →

Posted in inspiration, inspirational

Speak Your Truth: Accepting Things As They Are

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

How many times do we wish things were different? Or a person wasn’t so loud and obnoxious? How many times have we thought about the different ways we can renovate our home or change the way we look?

Have we even stopped to appreciate a situation for what it is? Maybe there’s a reason that situation is as it is? Maybe it is trying to show us something, to teach us an important lesson?

Maybe that obnoxious person isn’t as annoying as we think? Maybe there are some amazing qualities of that person we didn’t see because we were too busy looking at the obvious?

Does our home really need a new paint job right this minute? Have we even stopped to appreciate the fact that we have a home and a roof over our heads?

Do we really need a new hairstyle, or those new flashy clothes right now? Have we stopped to see ourselves as we are? Do we love ourselves even without that new swanky outfit?

We may not like something or someone, but it’s really not necessary for us to like everything in any give moment. But not liking can lead to stress if we allow it. That’s why we seek to change things. We think that if we can make it better and to our liking, then the stress will disappear. But what about the stress of trying to change something, especially if it’s something beyond us and our immediate ability to change? What about that stress?

Continue reading “Speak Your Truth: Accepting Things As They Are” →

Posted in inspiration, inspirational

Speak Your Truth: How to Make a Difference in Small Ways

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

There is often a misconception that in order to create positive change it must be in big and flashy ways. This is, of course, great and wonderful, but maybe some of us don’t have the energy, know-how, or realistic aspirations to make a unique and big contribution. Or perhaps, there are some who are just overwhelmed with trying to find a way to make a big splash to effect real positive change in the world. But really, some of the best and lasting changes come in much smaller ways.

For every major positive difference that we witness someone else doing to help other people or the world in general, there are hundreds, thousands, probably millions of other people doing something smaller to effect change too. If you add that up, it’s a lot of wonderful change happening all over the world.

We sometimes might be deluded into thinking that what we do or don’t do doesn’t really matter. Does it really matter if we smile to the stranger as we walk past them? Does it really matter if we let that person cut in front of us in line without cussing them out? Yes, it does.

It doesn’t take much. But if we can approach ourselves and each person we meet with a smile and compassion, then we are effecting positive change in the world. And every little bit counts. Because maybe one act of kindness a day may not seem like a lot, but if every single person were to do one thing a day that adds up fast.

What kinds of positivity and kindness can we spread?

Continue reading “Speak Your Truth: How to Make a Difference in Small Ways” →

Posted in inspiration, inspirational, writing

Speak Your Truth: Keeping Calm During Upheavals and Chaos

Posted on by Cynthia D. Griffin

speakyourtruthgraphicMost people like a nice quiet kind of life. And probably most people achieve that to one degree or another. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always stay quiet. Every once in a while, a series of events leads life into upheaval and chaos.

A lot of emotions are usually attached to upheaval and chaos when it occurs. Anger. Panic. Sadness. Despair. Frustration. Maybe some of it is bitter sweet. Maybe we know the end results will make things better for us, but impatience plagues us each and every step.

It is so easy to be swept away by the emotional tidal waves that buffet us as we try to move our way through a chaotic time. Sometimes the emotions and events are so abrupt and intense, we are left numb and in shock.

All of these emotions may be valid and deeply felt, but they don’t help us stay calm in a storm. They don’t help us find our center so we can navigate our troubled waters with clarity.

Acting out of impulse is not always a bad thing, but a constant series of reaction instead of calculated action can have serious consequences. It can even make chaotic times in our lives even more so.

Our best course of action sometimes is to do nothing for a time so we can reflect on our emotions and circumstance, and we can make more informed and Continue reading “Speak Your Truth: Keeping Calm During Upheavals and Chaos” →