Quick question.  Now that you’ve finally finished celebrating the beginning of yet another decade, what’s next on your agenda? Do you have a plan for 2011?  Think about it.  Maybe 2010 wasn’t a good year for you.  Take a few minutes to find out what you can do better now that you know better.  What did you learn about you last year that will inspire you to make wiser choices from this day forward?

For the first time in you life, will you choose to see yourself differently, to think differently, to live differently, to love differently? Imagine the parade of possibilities that will appear when you challenge yourself to do something you’ve never done.  How’s your personal relationship with God? Did you love yourself enough last year to accept the greatest gift of all? Guess what? It’s still not too late to do so.  God is still standing, still knocking, still waiting on you.  So, what are you still waiting for.  Go ahead. Trust Him.  Believe.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.“  Ecclesiastes 1:1-9 KJV

For reasons only you and God know, did you discover that you still lacked the courage to “let go and live” in 2010? Did you fail to dig deep enough inside that cluttered place where you hid your secrets to discover why you chose to remain fearful instead of choosing to become powerful?  Why?  What are you still afraid you’ll find during your introspective search for the truth that will inspire you to “let go and live” in 2011? Think about it.

I challenge you to seize this opportunity for personal growth to take time, to make time, to sit down in your secret place and have a quiet talk with God and yourself.  Humbling, isn’t it?  While on bended knees, ask God to give you the inner strength to face the truth about yourself.  Yes, it will hurt to accurately identify in plain and simple terms the main reason(s) why you repeatedly failed to exceed the self-imposed limitations your own eidetic imagination erected in 2010.

What “bad habits” must you let go of and replace with “good habits” before you can boldly and courageously live your life like never before?” Think about it. What “bad choices” did you make in 2010 that you cannot afford to make in 2011? Have you failed to forgive yourself for what you did, or didn’t do, in 2011 to sabotage your own success? If not,  don’t you think it’s time you did? Think about it.  Like unconditional love, the gift of “Forgiveness” is one of those priceless, eternal gifts that never stops giving.

Do you finally “know yourself” well enough to feel safe and secure within the comfort of your own skin to begin “living without limits , loving without conditions, and leading like Jesus Christ did – by example?” If not now, when? Think about it.  Do you honestly believe that you have the courage to let go of what’s still weighing you down or holding you back long enough to live “for the first time” in your life? If not, don’t you think it’s time you finally started making a difference in your own life before too soon becomes too late to do so? If not you, who? Think about it.

What, or who, are you still anxiously holding on to right now that you need to let go of by faith before you can honestly expect to excel, succeed, and achieve your “Big Dream(s)”  in 2011?  If you don’t own a journal to write introspective, empowering notes to yourself, do yourself a huge favor.  Get up, go out, and get one.

If you’re a creative person like me, create your own.  Imagine that!   Because Change is inevitable, you’ll definitely need one as you struggle to take every step necessary to make your Big Dream come true this year.  Remember, some things are just too personal to share with anybody else except God.

Before we part ways this day, please take a few minutes to define “Greatness.”  What does Greatness look like? If Greatness walked by you right now, would you recognize it?  “Can Greatness Be Measured?“  Think about it.  As always, the choice to love yourself enough to “let go and live your Big Dream(s) in 2011″ is yours alone to make.  Enjoy the journey.

Copyright © 2011 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

“I am unwritten. Can’t read my mind. I’m undefined. I’m just beginning. The pen is in my hand. Ending unplanned. Staring at the blank page before you.” — Natasha Bedingfield

Click on the highlighted word “Unwritten” to watch Ms. Natasha Bedingfield’s video. I hope you will enjoy this visual masterpiece as much as I have and still do.  May this inspiring song cure your writer’s block.

“Today is where your book begins. The rest is still unwritten” — Natasha Bedingfield

Last year, my wife, KWiz, and I watched the movie “Freedom Writers.” This year, we watched “The Great Debaters.” Both are unforgettable films. If you’re an aspiring writer who needs a reason to finish writing your book, please don’t wait to see either of these films. Both are amazing examples of the art of story-telling.

It’s true! Everybody has a story to tell. Some of you are extremely talented, gifted writers who can effortlessly employ the power of the written word to tell your stories. For me, writing is a struggle, which is why I started blogging last year. Have you ever wondered if there’s some secret formula or writing technique that will make one book sell better than another?

Can “talent alone” ensure the success of the books that authors allegedly choose to write? Who or what enables prolific writers to repeat the meticulous process behind the creative chaos that made your book a success? Does the timing of a book’s release play a significant part in its author’s ability to emotionally connect with one generation and not another? Do you believe that book sales, or the lack thereof, are an accurate indication of the perceived success or the failure of a book?

According to prolific author Paulo Coelho’s profile, “Slow initial sales [of The Alchemist] convinced his first publisher to drop the novel, but it went on to become one of the best selling Brazilian books of all time.

Have any of you ever pondered the possibility that the part you played did little to determine the success of your book? Did God’s sovereign will and perfect plan have anything to do with the success of your book? If yes, does it really matter whether or not an author chooses to employ “urban street teams” or “main stream” marketeers to promote a book that’s destined to become a national best seller? As writers, what part do we play in the books we author?

Do books choose their writers or do writers choose the books they pen? I had no desire to write a book before I began to pen Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness. I believe the book that I birthed chose me. I can still recall waking up in the middle of the night to write the first page of my big dream. Once I began writing it, I couldn’t stop. Whenever I felt inspired to write, I didn’t sleep much. I didn’t eat. I didn’t talk. Since I didn’t have anything to distract me, I just wrote. I constantly canceled or rescheduled appointments until the words stopped flowing from somewhere deep within the heart of my soul.

Am I crazy or has this ever happened to any of you? What did you do initially? Did you look around the room to see if you were all alone? Did you ignore the words you heard or did you heed the still, small voice that inspired you to believe that you could achieve something bigger than yourself? Did people laugh at you, ridicule you, and reject you when they heard about the genesis of your big dream? My mother and my wife stood by me at a time when I needed their love and support the most.

Writing Steppin’ Out Of The Darkness was an act of faith for me. I wrote on anything and everything I could get my hands on as evidenced by all the cardboard boxes still stuffed with the hastily scribbled notes that I stockpiled over the years. During those difficult days when I had no place to lay my head, I didn’t have time to feel sorry for myself. For reasons that still escape me, I refused to give up after the fall I survived.

Nevertheless, trusting God when nothing made sense wasn’t easy. To challenge myself to keep getting up and showing up for my street fight with Adversity, I started writing poetic essays. Writing literally saved my life after my business failed and I was forced to file bankruptcy. Because of the vision that God gifted to me, I had a plan that I could believe in. God’s unchanging love gave me hope during my darkest days. It’s true! Without a vision, people with no reason to hope will perish.

For reasons now known, “But by grace still go I” is not just some empty Christian phrase that I casually toss around to sound spiritual. If you’re a published writer, did your book choose you or did you choose your book? I hope this post has encouraged somebody to rise to your feet and inspired you to honestly believe that you can beat impossible odds with God’s help. If so, please let me know.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

“Dear Mr. President,” by Pink, is one of those rare music videos that stirs the soul as it tugs at our hearts. Matters not if you’re a Democrat or a Republican. Click on the highlighted words “Dear Mr. President” to watch Pink’s video.

Pink, our “politically corrected” leaders could learn a lot from you if only they’d slow their roll and listen to the voice of reason. It’s a shame the mainstream media, radio stations, and television stations refuse play a song that’s filled with so much relevancy, honesty, and truth.

Kudos to Mr. Jimmy Kimmel for letting Pink perform “Dear Mr. President” on his show.

Pink, as a sign of respect, I tip my hat to you for having the courage, the compassion, the empathy to write such a powerful, insightful, thought-provoking song for such a season as this.

Copyright 2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.

The words from the Gospel song, “In The Midst Of It All,” by Grammy award winning singer, Ms. Yolanda Adams, and the Scriptures verses found in Psalm 121:1-8 NIV will point you in the right direction.

It’s my prayer that you will be encouraged, empowered, and inspired to get up, show up, and take the next step towards making your big dream come true today.

1) I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
From where shall my help come?

2) My help comes from the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.

3) He will not allow your foot to slip;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

4) Behold, He who keeps Israel
Will neither slumber nor sleep.

5) The LORD is your keeper;
The LORD is your shade on your right hand.

6) The sun will not smite you by day,
Nor the moon by night.

7) The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul.

The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in
From this time forth and forever.

Psalm 121:1-8 NASB