U.M. Hiram's Blog: Why I Love to Write, page 4

FINALLY - New Book Release April 2017

Book Cover: Mark Wright Hi There! I know that I haven't posted for a while. The main reason for that is because I've been writing, editing and putting the finishing touches on my first romance fiction novel entitled "Finally." It will be self-published and is scheduled to be released on April 4, 2017.

I am extremely excited about this because it has always been my goal to write and publish a full-length novel. I'll be the first to tell you that it isn't an easy process; however, the fact that I set and completed this goal has been all worth the effort. I'm looking forward to sharing my work with you. Also, keep a look out for my upcoming Novella that will be released later on this year as well. 

To keep up to date about my upcoming book release dates, giveaways, contests and special announcements, please subscribe to my newsletter via the landing page on my website at www.umhiram.com. Also, be sure to follow me on the following platforms:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lZoYzV
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2lv6uJw
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2kADRLL
Twitter: https://twitter.com/umhiram
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/UMHiram

Until next time ... 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and your family a safe, enjoyable Thanksgiving! 

CHANGE – EMBRACE IT!

www.publicdomainpictures.net According to Dictionary.com, change is defined as “to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc. of something different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone.”
 
Change is inevitable, no matter what transpires in life. We are surrounded by it each day in every aspect of our lives whether personally or professionally. With this being a known fact, why is it so hard for some people to embrace it?
 
Could it be that he or she is afraid of the outcome?
 
Are they afraid of the unknown?
 
Is it the what-ifs associated with change that send people running the other way?
 
While those are all realistic and unarguable concerns, change is one of those things that should be embraced in order to move forward more effectively. For example, a business owner may have challenges with building their customer base if today’s technology is not incorporated into their organizational structure. More specifically if that business wants to achieve growth in revenue and sales.
 
With so many people becoming savvy using social media and online resources, it is vitally important to streamline processes that would allow more active engagement. Granted, I believe that an incorporation of some grassroots approaches is important especially depending on locale. However, with the technological evolutions, it is equally if not more important to incorporate this aspect. 

Let’s touch briefly on an example of a personal change – weight loss and healthy living. If you’ve made up your mind to get into better shape which may include toning your body, shedding a few pounds and eating healthy then you know there has to be some particular changes incorporated in your daily routine.
 
Maintaining a consistent workout schedule (i.e. frequent gym visits or daily walking), choosing to snack on vegetables instead of cookies or candy and the list could go on from there.
 
Basically, you won’t see differences when change is not activated and embraced. Things will remain the same and your goals will just be something you talk about with no action involved to achieve them.
 
Three quotes about change that I would like to leave you with are as follows:
 
“Change brings opportunity, embrace the change.” – Unknown
 
“Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would every grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be.” – BKS Iyengar
 
“Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.” – Eckhart Tolle
 
Although change can be a difficult to conceptualize some times, it’s important not to be afraid of what may or may not happen because of it. As things evolve in our personal and professional lives, remember that change is inevitable. Keep in mind that when you embrace change then you allow yourself to experience new and positive things that you may have deemed unimaginable.  
 
Change – embrace it!

Let It Go

Photo courtesy www.publicdomainpictures.net There are people in this world that do things to intentionally hurt you or get you off track. Why? Because they may feel insecure or inadequate with certain parts of their lives and don’t want to see you succeed or doing better than them. Unfortunately, there are times you may become his/her target just because you’re in their proximity or on their radar.
 
However, when you know your self-worth and are confident in the talents that have been graciously given to you then there should be no worries.
 
Just roll with the tides – whether they are high or low.
 
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t feel emotions – angry, sad or even confused for a moment – because those emotions are a part of our DNA creation. Regardless of how much displeasure as you may feel in regards to that individual, don’t act or dwell on his or her behavior because that can trap you into becoming stagnant.
 
The bottom line is that when you allow yourself to feed into the foolishness and deterrents then you do yourself a huge disservice.
 
In my 40 plus years on this earth, I’ve seen a lot and been through a lot so when I tell you to keep your head up and keep moving – trust and believe that things will get better. I am a living witness and testament to this fact.
 
It doesn’t matter what tactics he/she takes to make his/herself to feel great, specifically at your expense, because in the end – YOU WIN!
 
Remember that life evolves in seasons – some good and some challenging.
 
So, let “it” go and block out the negative excessive noise.
 
What is “it?”
 
The angry, bitterness, get even spirit, defeated feelings and thinking.
 
One thing to remember is that no matter what shade is thrown your way, the sunshine is always peaking through and will shine brightly if you keep pressing forward and ignoring the negativity.
 
The absolute best things to do are to keep focused and put in the work towards achieving your dreams and goals. Anything or person that takes away from that – LET IT GO!

What's Holding You Back?

I’ve asked myself this question many times – what’s holding you back?
 
We tend to miss opportunities or living a more enriched life by being afraid to take a leap of faith whether that’s personally or professionally. For example, starting a business can be life changing; however, there are many of us too afraid of the unknowns when choosing to travel down this road.
 
Whether it’s choosing to become an entrepreneur or making a life-changing decision, there is always that fear of something happening opposite of what we are envisioning.
 
What is the worst that can happen? One simple word - failure.
 
According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary, two short definitions of failure are “lack of success” or “falling short.”
 
Why would you be afraid of possibly failing especially when there are so many chances to recharge and regroup.  
 
Let’s take a brief look at these two aspects:
 
Recharge – Sometimes you have to step away from a challenging situation and take some time to yourself to clear your mind. I think it’s important to shut yourself off for a few hours or days. What does this mean? Basically, turning off the phone for a few hours or take a day or even weekend trip where you can just revitalize your mind, body and spirit.
 
Regroup – Once you’ve had the opportunity to recharge and get back into a positive mindset, then you’ll be able to regroup. During this time, you’ll be able to refocus the efforts of building your business whether that’s a different marketing strategy or even change in organizational makeup. This is also beneficial when deciding to move forward with a personal endeavor.
 
Recharging and regrouping is vitally important with undertaking any major change in your life whether personally or professionally.
 
With that being said, I’ll ask the question again – why are you afraid of the possibility of failing? Nothing is perfect and in any case of entrepreneurship or life-changing decision, you may run the risk of dealing with failure.
 
Should that stop you? I will answer with a resounding “No.”

Two quotes that I will leave with you to ponder on are as follows:
 
“Most people achieved their greatest success one step beyond what looked like their greatest failure.” – Brian Tracy
 
“Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success.” – Napoleon Hill
 
Take each failure as a challenge and shift your focus on how you can overcome it then move forward with a renewed outlook as well as strategy.

Vision Board – Is This Tool Relevant or A Waste of Time For Goal Achievement?

A Vision Board is defined as “a tool used to help clarify, concentrate and maintain focus on a specific life goal.” In simplified terms, it is a board where you would place items such as clippings, quotes or pictures to remind you about a particular goal or goals that you’re trying to achieve.
 
Are those goals personal or professional? It doesn’t really matter because they are your dreams and aspirations. These are things that you want to see become existent in the present or future.
 
Is this tool relevant for that or those goal achievement(s)? Or is it a waste of time?
 
In my opinion, I believe that a vision board is an asset because it can be utilized as a reminder of what you are working hard to achieve. Those targeted achievements can be tangible or intangible such as buying a new house, traveling aboard or becoming debt free. Basically, whatever “it” is that you want to see go from being a dream to becoming a physical reality.

​Here are four key tips to make sure that your vision board serves as a productive asset to your goal achievement:
 Hang or set the board in a place where you can frequently view itInclude some of your favorite motivational quotes and/or biblical passages along with picturesDraft an action plan about how you’re going to achieve your ultimate goal or goals (i.e. business plan and/or timeline)Put in the work – this is the most important part of utilizing the tool and making it a successful story for your life 
In addition to putting your vision board together, you could also go one step further and keep a journal. This could help you track your progress as you put in the work to accomplish many of your goals. One of my favorite passages in the bible says “write down the vision and make it plain on tablets…” (Habakkuk 2:2)
 
There is something empowering about being able to witness what you have crafted visually and written down become a reality in your lifetime. It is a definitive testimony to your faith, hard work and life’s vision.
 
The bottom line is - visualization of what you are trying to accomplish or where you are trying to go is an important motivational tool.
 
What are you waiting for? Go ahead - put your vision board together and hang it up in a location that you will frequently see it. As the year progresses, gauge how close you are to making some of those dreams a reality.

UM Hiram Writer's Quote of the Day

"Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up." - Jane Yolen

UM Hiram Weekly Inspiration

Quote of the Day: "Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength." - Unknown

Food for Thought: Sometimes we deal with some harsh moments in life - things that make you feel like you just want to give up and throw in the towel. You feel like you are at the ultimate breaking point and could go ballistic at any given moment.

Remember that faith is the one thing that can help sustain your mind and allow you to make it through the hurt, pain and disappointment. Cry, scream and throw some stuff if you need to BUT walk out that door holding your head up high knowing that the BEST is yet to come in your life. 

*Excerpt from Food for Thought: Inspiration for the Mind & Soul

UM Hiram Weekly Inspiration

Quote of the Day: "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... It's about learning how to dance in the rain." - Vivian Greene

Food for Thought: Life's journey has a way of dealing the unbelievable, unexpected and harsh hand of difficulty taking us through some very low valleys. However, remember that we've been given the inner strength and tenacity to keep moving forward and upwards if we choose to do so through faith and prayer.

I encourage you to make the choice to sprint, laugh and dance through the heavy rain then watch how the rainfall will begin to get lighter and the sun starts shining brightly in your life. It's only a test so that you can get to your testimony and finally enjoy the abundant life that you have been created to live. 

*Excerpt from Food for Thought: Inspiration for the Mind & Soul

UM Hiram Weekly Inspiration

Quote of the Day: "If you only do what you know you can do - you never do very much." - Tom Krause

Food for Thought: At some point in your life you have to realize that if you just do the bare minimum to get by then you are cheating yourself out of experiencing and accomplishing great things. You say that you want more out of life ... are you willing to take risks? Are you willing to move out of your comfort zone?

In order to realize your dreams and move beyond the ordinary, you have to get past the fear of failure then press forward into the unknown and unseen. The extraordinary is accomplished by moving fearlessly beyond the ordinary. 

*Excerpt from Food for Thought: Inspiration for the Mind & Soul