America Under Siege; From The Top Down!

For the past year and a half  I've been watching our country deteriorate into something I hardly recognize. Our so called leader is taking us down a dark and dreary path. I've been watching and listening and just doing the SMH thing. But I haven't taken any action or really done anything. So today my doing something begins with calling it out the way I see it. It is now painfully obvious, even to those who insist on defending him, that our President is a complete and total embarrassment. Yes, I said our President. Even though I personally didn't vote for him, I am a citizen of the country he unfortunately leads. Of course his supporters will somehow find a way to blame all of this on Obama. The President Of The United States stood shoulder to shoulder with the Russian dictator and sided with HIM over his own national intelligence officials. That alone was despicable enough. However, 45 decided he needed to take it a step further and denigrate his own country on the world stage. He actually believes the word of Vladimir Putin over 17 intelligence organizations concerning Russian interference in the 2016 election. After that disgraceful performance, it appears that Putin clearly has something on Trump.This is really only a small part of the problem with this man being the leader of our country. There are a plethora of reasons why he has no business being President, but it would take an eternity to explore all of them.
The biggest reason, in my opinion, is that he simply doesn't give a damn about anything or anyone but himself. We have a President who's completely devoid of any leadership skills. He's demonstrated that time and time again. This is all just one gigantic reality show to him. Ratings are all that matter. He has no desire or ability to take or even evaluate advice from experts who are trying to advise him. He really believes he's the smartest guy in the room. I think we all know that's simply not the case. Even though he seems to reach a new low on a consistent basis, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise. This is who he's always been. Donald Trump has mastered the art of the con. Unfortunately for our country, he's leading the government the same way he's led his businesses into bankruptcy on at least seven occasions. The Republican led congress has been complicit by their silence and inaction on many of the issues plaguing this administration.The question now is what happens next? Although I would like to believe that congress will take some action to keep 45 in check, I just don't see it happening. Hopefully I'm wrong on this one. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
The one thing that can make a difference is voting this November and in 2020. We have to do more than posturing, talking, and marching. Yes, we must constantly bring attention to the issues and the corruptness, but to make a difference we have to get out and vote. I applaud Maxine Waters for her strength and courage amidst the onslaught of criticism and hate she's been receiving. I really wish more Democrats had the guts to stand and fight like she's doing. Standing on the sidelines making noise but taking no action is pointless. As we witnessed in 2016, voting does matter! So let's continue to make noise and sound the drum, but put action behind our deeds. Don't talk about it, be about it! The best way to end the madness is to remove the madman. It is time for him to go!

The Lies We Tell

We lie to ourselves on a daily basis. These lies cover up our perceived shortcomings and prevent us from taking risks. Ultimately, these lies limit our lives and our ability to enjoy life fully. In the end, our lies serve the purpose of making us feel better in the short-term. You may not even be aware of the lies you tell yourself. Let's take a look at a few and debunk them outright.

“I don’t have a choice.” We all have an unlimited number of options available to us at any time. You might not feel brave or capable enough to consider them all, but you do have options. Consider what advice you would give a friend in a similar situation. Or determine what your most capable friend would do. Can you do the same?

“If I do X or say Y, people will think less of me.” Thought it’s hard to believe, no one cares. Everyone is too preoccupied with their own lives or else wondering what your opinion is of them.If you believe you’re worthy, you won’t have these types of thoughts. You’re good enough to do and say what you want.


“It’s too late for me.” People have graduated from medical school in their 60’s. An 80-year old successfully climbed Mount Everest. Bottom line, if you're still breathing, you still have a chance to accomplish something. Do you still think it’s too late?
Many things become less convenient as we get older. For example, it’s more challenging to go back to school when you have a family and a full-time job compared to a single, 20-year old. But challenging and impossible are completely different. You have to determine how passionate you are about what you want. Don't let convenient excuses deter you.

“Anything short of perfect is failure.” If you have to be the best at something before you’ll try, you’ll never get off the couch. Most of us may not have the potential to be the best at anything, but we can all be pretty good at just about anything. However, it requires time and effort. It's perfectly fine to aim to be the best, but you must first get started.

Stop comparing yourself to others. We are not all meant to have the same abilities, talents, or even blessings. What's meant for you is for you. That’s another sign of feeling unworthy. There’s no reason to be competitive with everything you do. Enjoy yourself without worrying about how well you’re doing or what somebody is doing or what they have. Stay focused on your own dreams and goals and the blessings will flow.

“I’d be happy if I had more money.” Studies have shown that happiness and income are only correlated up to a salary of roughly $70,000 per year. That means that millionaires are no happier than those that make $70,000 annually. I know most of us may think if we had millions, our life would be so much better. Actually, there would most likely be more problems. If you can pay your bills each month, money isn’t limiting your happiness.

“I can change him (or her).” Unlikely. Think about how hard is to change yourself, even when you want to change. Now imagine how difficult it is to change someone else, especially if that other person doesn’t want to change. It's not gonna happen. Learn to accept others as they are. If something about them is too disagreeable, then it might be time to move on.

“I’m limited in my ability to accomplish anything.” It has been said that learning to walk and talk are far more challenging than anything else anyone has ever accomplished. Even though you may have a few issues to resolve, you're much more capable than you think.
We are masters at deluding ourselves. We lie to the person in the mirror in order to protect ourselves – to make us feel better. Avoid giving up your future in order to appease your emotions in the short-term. It could be argued that the purpose of all self-help is to learn how to lie to ourselves less frequently. Try it! You might actually like what you find.