Month: February 2014

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The Best Things Can Sometimes Come Out of a Bad Situation

February 27, 2014February 27, 2014 jcladyluv

I seem to find myself having to make the best out of a bad situation more often than I care to. It always feels like just when I think I can cruise on down my path for a little while without any bumps and bruises, there goes another obstacle in my way and often times it feels like it’s a mountain just sitting there, knowing that I cannot move mountains out of my way. I’m simply not that strong. At least that’s what I convince myself at the time when I am staring down the very thing that is causing me to stop dead in my tracks.

I guess the truth is that I sometimes don’t know my own strength and that the strength that I need is not necessarily physical but rather spiritual and it comes from God. I have realized throughout the years (and have been reminded whenever I forget by Ms. L.) that I am so much stronger than I think I am and that each time I make it through a struggle I am always, somehow, better off for it. I suppose those that have never struggled through anything cannot fully appreciate the things that they are fortunate enough to ascertain in this life.

Nothing that you want, that is worth having, is ever going to come to you easily and if it does you better believe that there is some kind of string attached to it, visible or not. I’m in a bad spot right not, it’s certainly not a spot I want to be in, but I can already see the lesson brewing out of it. I guess the real failure in failing at anything is not learning from that failure and not fully capturing the lessons that there are to be built upon and shared. Times are hard right now, but they could be so much worse, and when they get better I know how to avoid a repeat. Trouble doesn’t last always and this too shall pass. Stay blessed and be grateful!

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

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You’ve Already Created Who You Are In This Moment

February 26, 2014 jcladyluv

How many times have you heard someone say that they have to go and find themselves? That they have to search for that knowledge of self, for that sense of purpose? I have heard that saying a lot used by people, some who were truly lost and others who just truly needed an excuse for why they weren’t doing anything. I actually hear that phrase from writers a lot because they are always so caught up in making up a life for their characters that they sometimes forget to live the life that they already have.

I heard this quote the other day “The self is not something one finds, it is something one creates”, and it just stuck with me. People who are always trying to find themselves, trying to figure out what it is they want in life, they don’t realize that in their journey to find themselves, all of the decisions they are making, the mistakes that they are enduring, is already creating who they are meant to be. Some decisions made for us, when we are too young to know any better, they are in a sense out of our hands, but how we deal with the fallout, the end result, that is in ours.

When we choose something, be it right or wrong, little by little it shapes who we are, and eventually who we become. None of us start off knowing what kind of person we are going to be at the end of our journey. Growing up I had to learn and teach myself how to love me. I guess you could say that who I am now, I created that person and had I made a choice to continue not loving myself and to continue to think that because my mother didn’t love me, or at least didn’t express that love to me, that I was somehow unworthy of that love from others, especially from myself, had I continued down that path I suppose I would have created a whole other type of person than I am now.

So before any of you get it in your head that they need to find themselves and discover who they really are, keep in mind that the decisions you have already been making are already creating the person you were meant to be. Stop searching for who it is that you think you should be, or should have been and embrace the person that you have already created thus far. Our journey is not done yet but who we are meant to be is already inside of us, we don’t have to find it, we just have to create it. Stop waiting for some moment of revelation to come, some big moment where suddenly everything you are is so clear to you. Create the life you want, don’t sit and wait for it to be created for you to find.

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

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What’s My Motivation?

February 24, 2014 jcladyluv

I saw a post on Facebook that asked “What motivates YOU to work hard?” and it got me to thinking about the times when I lose my motivation. Initially the artistically correct response would be that my passion is what motivates me. In many ways this is true because honestly unless you start off with a lot of connections in the writing world and you could breeze past the whole submit/rejection portion of rising to the top in your field of fellow writers then who would really want to struggle along this particular path if they weren’t passionate about the art of putting words to paper.

However, if I dig deep into the crevices of my brain and my heart, my motivation for being a writer goes beyond that. Yes it is true that since I was 6 years old this is what I have wanted to do but the reasoning became different as the years went on. It was first a fun thing to tell stories and dream up these big, sometimes, unrealistic worlds. Then it evolved into being the only way that I could truly express how I was feeling because no one would ever listen to my words, but they never minded reading them. Then it became my escape, where I didn’t want to really tell my story as much as I wanted to tell the story that I wished I was living in. But once I had a child, it became the way that I could do all of that but still be the mom that my mother wasn’t for me.

My mother was cold and unfeeling, I can’t even remember hearing the words I Love You too much in my house growing up, and I’m not sure if her having to work so hard and so much (sometimes 2 jobs which felt more like I was being raised by my sister) was the reason why she felt she had to shut down emotionally from me and my sister but if that was a reason then I was going to make sure that I didn’t have that reason when it came to my child. I wanted to be home with my daughter, there when she got out of school, there when she needed anything, said I love you for no particular reason, there to tuck her in at night, and there to play when she wanted to just play. Writing allows me to do that, to be tuned in to my child the way that I couldn’t be if I were working the traditional job.

I tried that when she was younger, in an effort to get that stable, absolute income while still trying to make it as a writer. Not only did that take away from the time I could have been putting into my dream but it also drained me mentally and emotionally and I couldn’t show up for my child the way that she needed me too. Now I know there are millions of women who do it, and manage it well, and perhaps they are better suited to be that kind of parent but I just know that I’m not built that way.

Now I’ve been criticized so many times for not just jumping back into the “regular” work force and having that stable income there and been accused of not thinking about my child in that regard but I disagree. I think that monetary things and possessions cannot provide emotional stability for a child and yes if you can do the “regular” job thing and still provide emotional support and stability for your child then that’s great. I know that I can’t. I’ve tried and I saw myself starting to turn into my mother which was the last thing I wanted for my child.

Going this route is difficult, true, but it also will instill in my daughter another thing my mother didn’t instill in me. It will teach her to go after her dreams, no matter what they are, no matter how many people tell you that you’re never going to get there, no matter how many people are standing against you, go for them in spite of all of that. In the end she will have her dream and everyone who was against her will be wishing they could have come along for the ride. I want my daughter to believe in herself the way that I never did until I was well into my adulthood. I want her to know that when she waivers on what she dreams up for her life that I will be there to remind her not to give up. That my giving up will help remind her not to give up.

I want everything for my daughter that I didn’t have growing up and none of that comes with having the largest bank accounts. Don’t get me wrong, of course there are things I want my daughter to have that money is definitely necessary for in order to give her that, but I want her to know that the important things in life cannot be bought. Things like love, self-esteem, confidence, work-ethic, belief in oneself and their dreams, and the tenacity to go after those dreams. Those are things that money can’t give or provide for you. Think about motivates your hustle today. Take that motivation and use it to fuel your drive.

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

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Friday Motivation- When You Die, Die on “E” and Leave No Dream Behind!

February 21, 2014February 21, 2014 jcladyluv

I had no intention of actually posting today because I was supposed to be working on some things for my ebook (release date coming soon). But when I saw this video on Facebook this morning (I know, that’s not work, so sue me) I was so blown away by the powerful message and it was one that I definitely needed to hear (so much so that I’ve watched the video 3 times already) and I feel like some of my fellow writers, those struggling with their craft and even those who are not, could use it as motivation as well. I hope that you get as much out of watching it as I did and that you carry the message into your weekend with you and even further, all through your journey. Stay blessed and have a wonderful weekend!

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

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There’s No Box I Seem To Fit In

February 20, 2014 jcladyluv

I used to always want to be that person who fit in with everyone else. I wanted to hide in the corner, blend in with the crowd, and make sure that I didn’t stand out in any way possible. It never really worked because for one reason or another I always stood out. Whether if it was for going against what everyone else’s opinion was or whether it was for looking different and having a different style from others. Whether it was being simple when others were outside the box, or being too far outside the box when others wanted to keep things simple.

No matter what I have always gone against the grain but it was never intentional. Truly I would never choose to make myself the target for other to consider me to be difficult because that’s the last thing I want. But at what point do you say that you’re not going to sacrifice who you are, what you think, or how you feel, just so other people can say that you’re easy going and that you’re not being the difficult one.

I’m not going to lie and try to pretend that I’m one of those people who doesn’t care if others like them or not. I do want to be liked, what person doesn’t. But if people are only going to like me because I agree with what they say or because I am going along with the majority opinion just to go along with it, then are they really liking me or the person that they would like to mold me into?

Now I’m not saying that if I express an opinion that everyone else has to agree with it but I certainly don’t like to be attacked personally for having an opinion that’s different from everyone else’s. I don’t seem to fit in any one box. I’m not really sure that I want to fit in with just one box. I like that I am different and think differently. I like that I don’t just repeat what other’s want to hear for the sake of being easy going. But it does get hard to always have this label of being the difficult one just because you don’t agree. I just wish that people who claim to accept everyone no matter what were really true to their statement. Have a blessed day and just be who you were meant to be!

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

It’s All In How You Word Things

February 19, 2014 jcladyluv

I saw this video on Ms. L’s timeline on Facebook and it spoke volumes to me. Words can be so powerful and you can say things in so many different ways that take on many different meanings to people. Be mindful of what you say to others, not just the tone in which you say it, but the words that you choose to express yourself. It’s also a reminder, on the business side of things, that everyone can use a good writer and if words are not your thing, if you don’t always choose the best words for the appropriate situation, then by all means please hire a writer.

Let Write 2 Be Media show you how valuable our professional writing, editing, and social media marketing services will be to you and your business. We offer various writing services such as professional blogging, portfolio creation, company newsletters, ghostwriting, typing services, research, and web content. Take the pressure off of having to be your own marketer and let us do the work for you. We’ll create and monitor your Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn accounts, as well as create and maintain a blog or email newsletter for your project.

Simply leave a comment below or email us your request for services and a price quote to Write2BeFreelance@yahoo.com. Upon receiving your request, you will be contacted within 72 hours to assess the next step for your project.

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

I Could Pick Another Career….But I Like the One God Picked For Me

February 18, 2014February 18, 2014 jcladyluv

I will preface this post by stating with an absolute certainty that I love (love, love) being a writer. It is what I am most passionate about. It is what gets me through most of my bad days. It is when I feel like I am doing the most good, in general, throughout the world. And most importantly it is, what I feel, is the best legacy that I can leave behind for my daughter, and her children to come after.

Having said that, some days it is hard to be a writer when that is your only source of income and when the thought of doing anything else for a living makes you literally cringe. People seem to think two polar opposite things about the life of a writer. They either think that you are basically using a hobby as an excuse as to why you don’t have what they deem to be a “real” job or they think you have large sums of money in which you are not even close to having. Now if you have made it like J.K. Rowling, or Stephen King, or James Patterson, or Terry McMillan, then sure, you do have large sums of money at your disposal.

However, if you have not made it to that milestone in your writing career yet, then you are just scraping by like any other average working person, it’s just not doing the traditional job. That does not in any way diminish what you do or make it just a hobby that you are trying to get paid to do. There is a huge difference in doing writing as a hobby and doing it as a career. The struggle is different. Once you make writing a career, it is not just about the sheer love of putting a fictional story, or even your story, on a piece of paper for all to see. It then becomes a business in which you must then market yourself and your work. You have now become a business in which you are your brand.

The business side of writing is what I sometimes dread because I have not always been the best at “selling myself” so to speak. I can sale anyone else’s work and promote many others but for some reason when it comes to me it gets difficult. It’s something that I have to get used to and get better at gradually but gradually does not garner me any immediate income the way that I need it to.

Writing is definitely not a career choice for the weak, or faint of heart, or for those that are looking for an easy source of financial stability. I look unstable to those outside of the creative spectrum and I even feel that way most days but when I look at it in terms of whether my child is taken care of and if she has what she needs (plus a few things that she wants) and if the basic needs are being met, then I have to acknowledge that my modest way of living is working for now.

True I can’t do outlandish extravagant things and I can’t get every little thing that I desire but it makes it so much more worth it when I can obtain those things because I know that I worked hard for them. Like I said in the beginning of this post, I love writing and I wouldn’t choose any other career. There are ones that I would love to do in addition to writing like singing and counseling others but nothing I feel as passionate about as writing.

If writing is something that you love to do, then ignore all of the days that you feel like it’s just not worth it. Ignore the feelings of you not being good enough to do this successfully. Ignore all of the days where a regular job seems like the only option you really have to have everything that you want and desire. Ignore the days that you feel like you’re not truly meant to be a writer because you can’t seem to promote yourself well enough. Your days of struggling as a writer may seem like they are just beginning but in the end, if you work hard, if you fight hard for what you want out of your career, then it will all be worth it. Work hard and struggle harder.

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

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Happy Anti-Valentine’s Day!

February 14, 2014 jcladyluv

Okay, so I am not a Valentine’s Day fan at all. It has never really worked out to be a good day for me and this year, once again, I do not have a Valentine. I keep thinking that by now some wonderful man would have figured out by now how awesome I am and how I would make the best mate that he could ever meet, but so far, it hasn’t happened yet. So I remain sour on the whole Valentine’s Day thing. So I wrote a poem about how I feel about this day and how I feel about people who tell me that I don’t need a Valentine because I have me. Now please don’t judge the poem too harshly because I haven’t written one in a very long time. Hope you enjoy!

I Don’t Need a Valentine, But I Want One

I like my time to myself

I don’t need to be with someone else

I know that I will be fine on my own

I know that I am never truly alone

All those cliché things people say

So they can soothe you for that day

Yes I know that I don’t need a Valentine

But it doesn’t change the fact that I want one

If I tell the truth which is that I am lonely

Then somehow people think that I don’t love me

Suddenly I don’t see how special I am to others

Just because I wouldn’t mind having an everyday lover

Just because I’m comfortable with being alone

I wouldn’t mind having someone to make my house a home

Yes I am quite aware that I don’t need to have a Valentine

But it doesn’t change the fact that I want one

I would like to be able to wake up with my lover by my side

A person who I can be myself with and never have to hide

Someone who I can feel free to share all of my dreams

A person who I know we will always be on the same team

Yes while I know that I don’t need anyone else to validate me

I would love for a man to finally see what it is that we could be

I understand that I don’t need to have a Valentine

But it doesn’t change the fact that I want one

So while Valentine’s Day can be a joy to most

A day for others to publicly display their love and boast

All it reminds me of is what I don’t currently possess

The truest kind of love, a different kind of happiness

Sometimes it would just be nice to not have to walk alone

For someone to choose me to be the one that they call their home

Yes I do love myself and I know that I don’t need a Valentine

But it’s not going to change the fact that I want one.

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

Creating an Ebook Looks So Easy….But It’s Not

February 12, 2014 jcladyluv

Okay so my latest project (my ebook for writers who are guilty of self-sabotage) is coming along but let me just say that doing an ebook is not as easy as it seems. Sure I guess if you have done a lot of them and have a formula down pact then it would definitely be a bit easy going. However, since this is my first ebook that I am putting out and it is a subject that is personal to me, and one that I think so many writers, and artists in general, struggle with, I just want to make sure I give you all nothing but my very best.

It doesn’t help that I am a perfectionists and that in my mind everything has to be just right (which of course I know it’s never going to be 100% right). I just really want to be able to provide some insight and help to those writers, and artists, that are struggling and who constantly get in their own way. I want them to know that they’re not alone in their struggle to succeed by doing what they are most passionate about.

I know that this ebook is going to be a great one and an even better way for me to connect with all of my readers out there. I will also be offering some really great things along with the ebook but you will have to keep reading here to get updated about those a little later. I hope that all of you will support me in this and that I in some way will be able to help you. Now I have to get back to work on the finishing touches of the ebook but you will be hearing more about it very soon. Have a very blessed day!

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

CEO/Writer/Editor

Write 2 Be Media/Write 2 Be Magazine

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310