Share the Vision - The Artist's Party

THE ARTIST'S PARTY ~ RETURN TO EDEN

So I’m looking at the calendar and I am approximately one week away from the big event that I’m performing in called the Artist's Party. The pressure is on. I made up my mind that I was going to do this event after toying with the thought for more than three years.  Long time huh?? I told myself that this is the year! This is the year that I am going to stop holding onto my dreams and make them come true.

I wrote a blog in January about sharing your vision with others. It was mainly about my childhood mentor and his decision to manifest a vision with friends. That vision changed my life and others.  So I decided to answer the call to an idea that I had, an idea that wouldn’t go away.

I noticed that Atlanta natives are very disconnected from the thriving arts community that exists right in their own backyards. I really noticed the disconnect when I started working for an arts nonprofit  and kept running into people who were clueless about the company I work for and other theatres in town. Also, traveling and visiting the amazingly beautiful arts facilities in places like NY, Philly, and DC made it extremely clear that the arts community in Atlanta needs more love from its government and residents.

The separation of art and state reminds me of high school.  The kids in the arts magnet program lived in another world from the kids who were not. It was like two schools in one. When we performed Dream Girls one year it seemed like lots of non-magnet kids came to see the show. The show was a huge success and finally our worlds crossed.  Atlanta is like two schools. You have the folks who are working and than a major population of phenomenal artists who are doing great work. We need to get everyone together!

So the Artist's Party was born and I called on a dynamic group of artists, JJ Evans, Yana Johnson, & DeAndrea Crawford  and asked them to join forces. The response was very positive.  

What is the Artist Party?

It is a party seasoned with special performances by featured artists. It has a theme which is "Returning to Eden" and that theme is interpreted by the participating artists. It is a networking event. It is a way to reconnect with some old friends. It is a place to eat some good food and be entertained by the hosts of the night. It is a great date night. It is an exploration of thoughts and ideas.  It’s the beginning of the conversation between artist and art lover.  

Most importantly it is a vision that needs to be released into the world, because like all visions they are meant to be shared. I hope you come and share this experience with all of us. I also hope you are inspired to move forward with your vision.

Mark your calendar - Saturday, March 5^th for the Artist’s Party ~Return to Eden.

(NEXT SATURDAY)

Blessings,

~Chi

Click on the link form more details and to RSVP
http://artistsparty-efbevent.eventbrite.com/

Don't Settle: PartII

"Oooo girl I hope you don't act like that with men because they're gonna think you're high mainteance."  Words from a friend. They completely startled me.  High maintenance?  Me?   No way!!!!  Now I've never been called high maintenance before so I was pretty shocked.  But apparently because I said I would say "no" to something I was immediately defined as being difficult and high maintenance (level 1 she jokingly defined it).  So we stood there on the  platform waiting for a train to arrive, yet this conversation followed me onto the train and stayed close beside us as we walked thru the city.

If you're in a situation where you say no to something you don't want to do, does that define you as high maintenance?  Would you call yourself difficult?    

In the past women have always in some capacity been expected to be obedient and submissive-to do what they were told and learn to be ok with it.  Today if you're a single woman who would like to be in a relationship, television and movies let us know that if we say yes to certain things, dress a certain way, and be down for anything then the search for that guy won't take very long.  Today you don't have to be the old school obedient and submissive lady.  Instead be the one who says yes to anything and who's down for everything.  We're shown that if you're cool with being cutty buddy you won't be single for long.  If you're ok with being the other woman well that's just grand.  And if you're willing to take turns spending time with him while he's handling business with his wife, kids, family, pet, job and/or car then you're in for sure.  Right?

Wrong.   Sometimes we say yes to things when everything in us is screaming "SAY NO!!!"  My explanation to my friend was why say yes to something when you already know it's not what you want.  It's not about being difficult or high maintenance, but rather having the courage and character to say no to something you don't agree with.  As my friend and I walked side by side with the conversation that joined us at the train station, we ended with this agreement:  To say no means you have standards about certain things and you're not willing to lower your character just to get someone to like you. 

It's like buying a new pair of shoes.  You're not gonna say yes to the first pair of shoes you see just because they're shoes.  You wait.  And when you find the pair of shoes you want, that's the right size and perfect fit, you buy them.  Nevertheless until you find the shoes you want, you say no to anything that doesn't line up with the standard of shoes you're looking for. 

Basically what I'm trying to say is: Don't Settle.  Regardless of how others see you, say no when you know to say no.  When everything inside you is screaming "Say No," go ahead and say it.  The person is either gonna respect you or they'll choose to move on.  And if they choose to move on, then you 
must realize your value and move right along as well.  Remember: You won't please everyone in life, stop trying to. 

Much love, 

~DeAndrea 

Join the Virtue~Us Book Club

Join the Virtue~Us Book Club

Venture with us as we read books that inspire art and personal growth.

Book # 3

Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success by Russell Simmons

Review date will be Sunday, April 3^rd

Synopsis:

Powerful and inspired, DO YOU! is a rare blend of business acumen, fierce spiritual faith and priceless advice.

Since rising out of the New York City streets over 25 years ago, Russell Simmons has helped create such ground breaking ventures as Def Jam Records, Phat Farm and Def Comedy Jam, in the process becoming known the world over as "The CEO of Hip Hop." Russell might have helped introduce hip-hop to the world, but he credits his success to his belief in a strong set of principles-or laws--which he shares for the first time in this book. In 12 straight forward steps, Russell reveals a path towards success that can be followed not only by those looking to duplicate his professional success, but anyone struggling to realize their dreams….click on link to read more.

Do You!, Russell Simmons, (9781592402939) Hardcover - Barnes & Noble

We welcome men and women!

Don’t Settle!

I came to the realization this year, and yes I know we are only in month two of 2011, that there is a major difference between settling and being content. Settling for something is the decision to take the next best thing and not what you really want. Being content can mean being grateful for what you have in the present moment. Being content with what you currently have is a choice to be happy and being happy is a great state to be in. You can settle for the next best thing and not be content with your decision or the outcome which will make you unsatisfied. The older we get the more important the decisions we make are and the decision to settle can cost you years of regret. It is hard to wait for the right opportunity to come along.

I went shopping with a friend and she was looking for a particular type of boot. We went to several stores and by store number three I told her to find a pair of boots and settle. She replied, “but it is not the right pair”. We went to several more stores until finally she found the right pair of boots. I bought a pair as well. The thing is that the decision didn’t matter that much to me and I was impatient. I wanted to get it done, accomplish the mission. I’m a problem solver and not a problem prolonger. What I got from that experience is that patience is a virtue for a reason. 

Can you wait and research until you find the man, car, house, dog, job, or meal that you are looking for  or will you get frustrated and pick something aka settle. Now the truth is the pair of boots I bought were perfect for my friend, but weren’t for me. I still hadn’t found my perfect pair of boots. I just purchased the boots because my feet were cold and she was happy and I was tired. Making other people happy and taking the second best thing because it makes the other person happy is another problem. 

This year I am focusing on what makes me happy. What are the things that I really want?  How do I really want to be treated by others? What type of relationships do I want to create with people? I think creating a list of no’s will help. That is a great exercise for everyone to do. It can apply to anything. Maybe you want a meaningful relationship this year, well being somebody’s “cut buddy” is a big fat NO. If you want to be a certain weight then don’t settle for ten pounds bigger than your goal weight. Getting what you want takes some work. 

Your actions mean everything. If you want something, then you have to act like it. Words are powerful, but your actions will close the deal. Maybe when you achieve a goal you may realize you don’t want it, but knowing that is better than settling. You are greatness because you are a part of God who is great. He wants the best and he wants the best for you. I’m worth it – Say it three times to yourself in the mirror until you believe.

* And it doesn't mean that you are being difficult :)

Blessings,

~ Chi

One Degree of Separation

If you're a superstar and your family lives in poverty what is the thing that separates you? -MONEY.
If you live in Georgia and your family lives in California what is the thing that separates you? -DISTANCE.
We are all separated in some way from our families, yet at the same time we are always in some way connected to them. 

Right now I'm sitting in the waiting room of a hospital that was the place to be when I was a child. My mother would wrap us up and we would always come to this hospital, to sit in this waiting room forever and ever. Now as an adult this hospital isn't my first choice, but tonight as I was driving family members to a hospital this hospital was their first choice.  It made me realize that no matter what status or changes you encounter in life, there is only one degree of separation between you and family. Unless you've for some reason completly disconnected yourself from family, they will always be a part of you in some way, connected to both your past and present for some purpose.

Truthfully, its this way no matter what your status or their status of success is in life.  If I was broke and needed something my immediate family would most likely be the first people I'd call and vice-versa.  Even with success you always want your immediate family to ride the journey with you.  So I guess this event to this hospital on this night brought me back to basics.  Sometimes you can travel to far away places, leave behind everything and everyone you've known and loved, and reach a certain status of success. However at the end of the day, distance nor time can erase that one degree of separation that is easily shortened to reconnect you back to the places and people with whom you experienced your first steps, first smiles, tears, and so much more with.

I think its good to always be in remembrance of these things, people and experiences. They remind us of where we first began before we had any motives beside the motive of being loved and accepted. No matter where you are in life the basics always remind you that you started from somewhere, that you had a beginning and that that beginning should always be just as important as your end.  No matter where you are in life today, learn to embrace your beginning and end with open arms.

~Dee

Will Life now imitate Art?

Reality TV shows are entertaining to watch because they are filled with drama. We love to watch these people argue, gossip, fight, pull out hair weaves, sleep around, show out in public, and majorly hate on each other. It is entertaining because it is everything that viewers wish they could say or do in certain situations.

Unfortunately the things that happen on reality TV shows are actually a reality for some people. Why? Because some people believe that their own TV show called life would be boring without "Drama". They would not have anything to talk about and nothing to look forward to. These people attract drama like big giant magnets. They gossip and they destroy friendships. They allow their emotions to dictate their behavior and are unaware that they are the ones generating chaos and confusion.  

Then there are those people who actually base their lives off of reality TV shows. It reminds me of the time in high school when Snoop was very popular. I remember seeing male classmates get caught up in the persona of rap artists. They were smoking weed and sagging their pants. They started to talk like certain rappers. Some of those guys I never saw after freshman year because they either dropped out or got kicked out. 

When person becomes unhappy with his or her self or life then naturally they take on a life of a person they think is better than them. This is the reason why big businesses are successful with marketing their products to consumers. If you don’t know who you are or what makes you happy then other people wil define you or sale you something to define you.

I really hope people aren’t buying into the plastic Barbie images, promiscuity, and reckless behavior displayed on these reality shows. I hope our youth are not creating frenemy relationships with each other because that is what is promoted. Holding onto grudges, bullying people, being scandalous, and adultery are what we are bombarded with 24-7. We laugh, but subconsciously we are approving those messages in our mind. One day will we look back at some of these shows and think they weren’t so bad because as a society we have conformed to what we watched on TV.

Will reality shows now become real life drama? Will Life now imitate Art?

~Chi

Seriously, Let's Move

So after the excitement of being in the same venue as Michelle Obama and having a week that was probably my busiest of 2011, I had no clue what the topic of this week's blog would be.  That is until I found out a family friend had to be rushed to the emergency room.  The primary culprits were improper diet and lack of exercise.  Because I really have a passion for fitness and actually desire to be a trainer on "The Biggest Loser" this piece of information stopped me.  Sometimes people have the tendency to know the right thing to do, but often tend to do the opposite.  For so many of us we know the right things to eat and that we should participate in some form of exercise, yet we choose to eat the sugars, drink the sodas, and we call walking to the car our form of exercise for the day.

So what do you do to motivate others to live healthy?  I've learned through frustration that you can't make someone decide to want to live, you can't force them to eat right or force them to exercise.  But what you can do is educate them.  This Wednesday Michelle Obama discussed "Let's Move."  It's a platform that encourages families to eat right and exercise.  She discussed how the issue of health is bigger than one person, it starts with the individual-yet through family, friends, and social organizations, living a healthy lifestyle becomes integrated into society and pretty soon becomes a way of life for everyone.   Her message is simple, it's point blank, and it's exactly what we need. 

The way I see it is if we continue to keep our blinders on and just eat whatever, drink whatever, and live however just because we want to, pretty soon we'll be looking at a population of overweight parents, young adults, teens, and infants.  Pretty soon we'll be the U.S. population of elephants!  I chuckle but it's true.  My motto is if you have the choice to be healthy and live, then choose to live!  Eat right, exercise, and don't take for granted the body you've been blessed with.  Don't find yourself having to workout and having to eat right because the doctors have given you the warning that if you don't change you'll die.  So I encourage everyone to start fresh today.  Today choose to make one new choice regarding what you eat and give yourself one new reason to work out and enjoy it!  We only get one body-and when given the privilege to choose whether we want to be sick or healthy we should---well I'll let you decide which option works best for you.  Hopefully your decision won't take very long.

Be Healthy!
~Dee

Why did Adam bite the apple?

 God asked Adam why he ate the apple from the forbiden tree and his answer was, "...The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." (Genisis 3:12)

All you have is your character. At the end of the day, are you happy with the choices you made and most importantly why you made them. While I was working out at the gym, I had a random conversation with an individual. The person started talking about a good sermon they heard from Creflo Dollar. Now I have seen this woman before but have never had a conversation with her so it was surprising that what we discussed was religious. She talked about how Pastor Creflo Dollar discussed owning up to your actions when you make mistakes.  When you own up to the intent of your actions than you can really receive God’s mercy. You cannot receive it if you only ask for forgiveness. Sometimes we make mistakes and we pretend that we didn’t know why we did it or had no control. You should always be truthful to others and to yourself about why you did something. If you talk down to somebody then you should ask yourself why you did that.

There is a reason why we do certain things. Being honest is a virtue and honesty will allow you to face some character flaws that affect your relationships. At the top of the year I decided to write a friend and own up to all of the things I felt ended our friendship. It was really an eye opener when I was able to say, “yes I did it because I was scared and even though it was out of character I did it anyway." Writing the truth down and then reading it made me face my actions.  I was saying I was a Christian, but my actions didn't reflect it. It made me look a little closer at myself. Adam cannot blame Eve for why he ate the apple because he was not forced. So why did he do it? Why did Eve eat the apple and share it with Adam? What was the real reason? Maybe Adam didn't want Eve to know more them him. Could it have been fear? Who knows? Whatever the reason you cannot blame others for your actions. All you have is your character, word, and actions.

At the end of the day can you handle the truth about why you did something? The real truth will set you free.

~ Chi

Don't Rush Me To The Finish Line...Tell Me To Slow Down!!!

Patience. Webster defines it as the capacity, habit, or fact of being patient (not hasty).  How often have you found yourself at a place of frustration and for one reason or another allowed this frustration to cause you to act hastily?  Sometimes waiting is the best choice; however, because we sometimes lack the patience to wait, we choose second best.  We choose the lesser option and always wonder what it would have been like had we just gone with our first choice.  Whenever you decide to choose the road of impatience you lose sight of the big picture.  You lose your vision.  You lose your goal.  You choose the hasty path, and often find yourself consumed with trying to find a way to accomplish what was originally your first choice.

Have you ever found yourself racing against time?  Your destination is the finish line, your purpose is very clear and you're determined to accomplish what you set out to do.  Even if it means choosing the lesser option because you're too impatient to wait.  Last week I found myself in this scenario.  I didn’t want to spend the next couple of months waiting to accomplish my desired goal, so I decided to go with the next best option.  I wanted something quick, fast, and instant results.  And so within a week I got exactly what I set out for-second best, and although second was still a fairly good option, it was a far cry from first. 

So what happened with me and my glorious second-best prize?  God+Wisdom led me to patience.  I have a leadership bible and Sunday as I found a scripture I was turning to, beneath it read the following:

Vision:  Great Leaders Never Lose Sight of the Big Picture.

 It instantly grabbed my attention and the next thought that came to mind was "What are you doing?!", followed by "That's not what you want!".  So I sat there, read the passage, read it again, and thought "What have I done?"  I realized that although I didn't want to wait, for several different reasons, the best thing for me to do was WAIT AND ACCOMPLISH MY GOAL, MY VISION.  

So I'm happy to say that my impatience and hastiness cost me $50. Lol- Really!  I'm happy I only lost $50 instead of an entire year of a lost goal.  I can truly say that had I followed through with my second option, I would have spent this entire year, complaining about how horrible it was and trying my best to find a way back to my first choice.  Lesson learned:  Have Patience and Wait, Reminding Yourself Each Day That You're Closer To The Finish Line!

Still Patiently Waiting,

~DeAndrea