Reality Check Time, R U Game? : Think About it Mondays
Posted under: 
At 11:48 p.m. I lay on my floor too tired to shower, too dirty to sit on my furniture. My phone vibed, then chimed just out of my reach. I am a slave to my phone so even though I really don’t want to, I know that I will… I rolled across the floor, palmed it, then read:
“What is your truth in reality?”
I cursed. Don’t you just hate people that don’t realize when it’s too late be philosophical? I tossed the phone to the side and then threw my hands behind my head so I could go blank while my sweat dried. A moment later my tiny black master was demanding my attention once again. A simple “…???” was all he wrote. I smiled this time because I must admit I dig his persistence in every way: I read the question again and then meditated on it for a long while. We all know that we learn something new everyday but how often do we acknowledge our findings? This question was the most important thing that anyone had asked me all week. I realized in that moment that not only can epiphanies come in the 11th hour, but also that this is when they should be pursued. Think about it, can you imagine your progression if at the end of every day, you took just five minutes to reflect before honestly and thoroughly answering this question:
What did your experiences teach you today? What truth did you discover in your reality?
I realized in that moment that there was nothing that I did this week that I could not have been doing last year. I am so glad that this question came on a Sunday because out of the 7, it is in the most dire need of a reality check. My Sundays consist of me waking up at 9, shooting headshots until 11, leaving to work at my Joe job from 12-5, and then heading to Day and Night to shoot from 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. It is a busy day filled with the things that sustain me, not one activity that challenges or furthers me.
Does anybody else feel uncharacteristically unmotivated during the summer? I hope it is the warm weather and plentiful invites that are to blame for my blah initiative because if not I am in real trouble. The truth of my current reality is that I am doing everything to maintain my current lifestyle but I am not taking nearly enough risks to enhance it.
I would like to make a change in that this week. I have been loafting on my book proposal, being too unagressive with job opportunities and not doing nearly enough to help TGAW.com grow. Do you know we have been at the same hits mark for about 3 months now? That’s terrible but in all honesty I can’t say that we are investing enough to change that. Perhaps it’s time that I seek out management help (do you guys know of anyone good) or that I start broadening my circle so I can meet people who can place me in opportunistic situations. Although all of you guys appreciate my talents, I am missing that one person whose recognition can help take me/ us to the next level.
This is the truth in my reality. I really want to encourage you to take a few minutes and think about yours. Then, IF you are feeling daring and brazen, tell us what you found.
Short and sweet this week but hopefully it gives you plenty to think about.
p.s. thanks to my Lolita for giving me this gourmet food for thought. I am learning something new from you with each conversation but I am so grateful that yesterday you forced me to school myself.
p.p.s. Thanks to DJ Spoonz (my current fav DJ) for playing the track below last night. It has served as my soundtrack for the day and for this post.
Related Posts via Categories
- Come Winter Love, All or Nothing
- Gratitude is Everything
- 2011 a Year in Review
- What happens in my bed, stays in my bed
- Question: Do you Feel Me Like I Feel You?
- My Struggle with Being Nice
- When a sweet new friendships makes the old seem sour
- Warning: If your butt isn’t big, you may not be Black
- Read This Everyday
- What the hell is your problem?
8 Comments + Add Comment
WILD UNITED!
Find Your It!
Find a Fav
R U WILD?
Our Logo
Work it!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Andrea Lewis, Cheyenne Mishell. Cheyenne Mishell said: RT @missandrealewis: NEW Blog: Reality Check Time, R U Game? http://thosegirlsarewild.com/2010/08/09/realitycheck/ [...]
Excellent post Shanni! And to be honest it’s exactly what I needed right now, I’ve been in a very low place lately, overly consumed with my thoughts and the hurdles that are stopping me from moving further and instead of doing something about it I’ve been content with complaining about why can’t I get a break! The truth is the only thing that’s stopping me is ME!! Thanks homie! Motivation in check!
NEW Blog: Reality Check Time, R U Game? http://thosegirlsarewild.com/2010/08/09/realitycheck/
Thanks for this post.. somehow your “Think About It”s always seem to be right on time for me… lately I’ve been kinda going through the motions of my day to day… the Truth in my Reality is that several changes at work have me basically just showing up and collecting a paycheque… personal life? Fuhgeddaboutit.. I catch myself slipping into old (BAD!) habits with certain people and then wondering why I’m unhappy, or why things don’t seem to be improving for me in certain areas..
I can’t remember the last time I really took a step back and reflected on my goals, or progress on where I want to be. I find that for me, it’s pretty easy to slip into these moods where I’m completely unmotivated.. It’s not really seasonal though, for me it usually hits toward the “end” of something.. whether it’s the end of university, or a questionable relationship, or the impending “end” of my extended contract at my current job
Every time I’m faced with some kind of change I freeze up, which is absolutely terrifying, because it makes me feel like I don’t have what it takes to follow through… like I’ve got a fear of progress….
Anyway, let me stop before I put all my business out there.. but again… thanks for this post
I usually hate to sit down and think about what I’m doing wrong in life and things of that nature, but for some odd reason I sat down and read this whole thing and it really got me thinking. It’s crazy to think that Shannon or Andrea have any type of hang ups because we all see them in their videos and look through TGAW.com and we really see nothing but glowing faces and smiles so to think that they have days where they are just like everyone else is really refreshing.
I have to admit I am the biggest procrastinator in the history of life, and for some reason I’ve become okay with that. I have my days where I do something ahead of schedule, however those days do not come very often. I live a life that is very… consistent. Generally everything is the same, and it’s usually never really positive. I try so hard to make good of the bad that’s always around me I forget that I can make it even better if I make the effort. This post helped me out a lot.
Shannon mi love, i think you’re doing too much. ur career is a mile wide but a couple feet deep. Thats nothing compared to how amazingly huge i think u guys will be if u find a way to dig deeper and make the blog preeeeeeety much ur main digging point. i know that seems crazy cuz right now the blog aint whats paying ur bills, but maybe its time for some greater risk. honessssstly, when u and Andrea are in the same place at the same time, this blog gets 10 times better. Im not trynna play mom or anything buuuuuuuuuuut, the selfish TGAW-loving me wants u guys to be permanent roomies if possible. just a wild ass thought. i have faith that u guys will figure shit out tho. lets get this ship goin mama.
as for me, im in the middle of a transition. this long vacation has given me waaaaay too much time to think. in the process i kinda mapped out my future in terms of what i would lovvve to do. first i’ll be working a boring 9 to 5 in DC as part of my school’s co-op program til March. probably gonna move out on my own for a couple months so i dont have o commute an hour everyy day. thennnn in the spring i go back to school and im gonna concentrate my business degree in operations management and entrepreneurship, brainstorm and figure out a business im starting. Actualllly work on my BLOG!!!!!!, and fo real im starting to love photography. my career counselor told me i would. i take so mmuch pics that today i filled my 4gb CF and was forceeed to use a regular camera and i put the thing to my face as if there was a viewfinder before i caught myself lol. i hate regular cameras now.(also the fact that within less than a month i got FREE adobe software and a FREE camera was God’s way of saying “aye gyal, go and tek sum pitiah!”) anyway so after that my overanalytical nature will probably take me to lawschool and thennnn, when i graduate i’m gonna be you guys’s entertainment lawyer when u get really famous. sounds like a plan?
Brilliant, lovely, amazing! The way I have been challenging myself lately is too spend too much money then bust my ass trying to make it up when I’m over budget. But just reading this is forcing me too make it happen another way that is comfortable, sensible and still makes me feel good. Props for the inspiration and I just sent you and everyone that reads the Blog tons of positive energy to further themselves and ask this question daily.
I’ve needed this, so very much. For the past year and a half I’ve been stuck in a rut. I haven’t pushed or challenged myself at all, but this past summer I feel like I’m starting to realize my true self and my true potential. Finding this blog has helped me improve this soo much! Both of you have inspired me. I’m a 13 year old girl and I can easily say that you two are one of my few role models. You’re beautiful, funny, talented, and determined. DETERMINED. I don’t meet that many young women like that. Like I said I’m 13 so I don’t have a very specific dream that I’m trying to meet. I just know my passions are writing/journalism, dance (Something you guys helped me realize-again I thank you), and staying intellectual. I hope to visit Toronto after finding your blog (I won’t lie, also because of the Drake effect lol) Thank you for putting me on the right spiritual path!!! It’s something I will NEVER forget. Stay amazing!
Natalie <3