Pretty In Pink... Perfect In Paisley!

 After 32 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry, I’ve learned the difference between genuine opportunity and clever marketing dressed up to look like one. And I see it often—especially in the world of content creation. If you’ve ever been offered a “brand ambassador” deal where you must buy the product at a discount, promote it with a personal code, and get little more than exposure in return, then you already know the game. It’s a model that benefits the brand far more than it empowers the creator. And while there’s no shame in starting small, there is power in knowing your worth. As a seasoned professional, content creator, and creative business coach, I’ve stepped back from these gimmick-style offers. I’m building something lasting . A wraparound brand experience that connects the dots between storytelling, product placement, and lifestyle authenticity. My Vision I’m not here to hawk products. I’m here to tell stories that stick. To create content that feels lik...

  In today’s world, competition is everywhere. From business and social status to creative endeavors and personal relationships, people constantly measure themselves against others. While healthy competition can drive ambition and success, there’s a fine line between striving for excellence and blindly attempting to compete in arenas where one simply does not compare. This misplaced competitiveness often leads to frustration, disillusionment, and even embarrassment. The Illusion of Rivalry Some individuals convince themselves that they are on the same level as those who have spent years refining their craft, education, or expertise. Instead of recognizing their own strengths and working within their lane, they become obsessed with outshining others—often in ways that highlight their own shortcomings rather than any real competence. Take, for example, a person who watches a professional artist at work and immediately believes they can replicate the same level of skill without proper...

 In life, the rain must fall! Thank goodness for writing, lifeboats, and rain boots! I've had my share of precipitation. #enough. Eventually, the dam breaks, and the water tables even out, right? It is everywhere, and as I said to a co-worker just recently, "Stand back, something is about to implode." Typically, I get the look of, "What do you mean?" It was met with, "Yeah, I feel it too." Let us forget about Mercury going retrograde, Venus being in conjunct, or Aries just being in the f..k'n way, and something about an eclipse and the end of a 14-year cycle. Everything in each of our lives is off, out of balance, and way off kilter! We are all sick of it! I have mentioned impetuous decisions and impulse reactions to prove a point or to take the stand, "I'll show you!" I have stood back and have braced myself for impact. A Tonja Tucker song comes to mind, "its a little to late to do the right thing now," but that still does ...

  The Collapse of a Self-Made Man... "When He Had Her" Hank, a man who once prided himself on being self-made, had spent years cultivating an image of success. He wore his achievements like armor, flaunting them at every opportunity. He had built a business from the ground up, crafted an identity around hard work, and proclaimed himself as someone who had "done it all alone." But beneath the polished exterior, the truth was far from the narrative Hank had constructed. For Hank, being "self-made" wasn’t just about hard work—it was the foundation of his identity. His worth was intrinsically tied to the idea that he had achieved success against all odds, without the help of others. The myth of Hank, the self-made man, was a tale he told himself and everyone around him. It was what gave him power, what made him feel superior to those who depended on others for their success. In this self-deception, Hank could mask his insecurities, his fragility, and his dee...

 If you tell the truth, does the lie become questionable? If you speak your truth, does it become understandably clear? If you say,(offer information) with clear intent within the framework of your knowledge, does it make it unbelievable? If you tell a lie does it become a truth by an admission of guilt?  People only want to believe what they mentally can handle. If any information goes against what they can deal with, it is met with opposition and anger. Disbelief is a mask covering up discern because it does not align with a value therefore no one wants to admit they have been lied to. The truth Is hard for most to digest. Many are not smart enough to know the difference and they cannot critically think! Especially for themselves. You can apply this to your own life with the people you surround yourself or feel free to take this on a larger world stage. Is it   possible that individuals with limited education or who are less familiar with critical thinking techniques mi...