So today, we are in for a special treat...drum roll please.....A man's perspective! This is Gabriel's take on life and how he is living it serving others and sharing his faith in God to others, because he believes serving and sharing the gospel will not only make them happy, but make his life fulfilled as well. It's actually pretty wonderful and a very heart-warming post! Oh and ladies, he's SINGLE! lol! :)
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Friday, March 21, 2014
Destinee McCalmon
Hello Readers! Today's spotlight is on Destinee. She shares with us her story of how she found herself back on her right path after being lost for a few years. I hope her story of determination and faith in what she believes in helps any of you who might be feeling a little lost, or overwhelmed with where you are in life. Remember, we are all on different paths and no matter where you are now, it's never too late to turn your life around and live life how you want to live it!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Choose Your Way, Have a Good Life!
What direction do you want to take?
What is going to make you happy?
What are you going to do from here?
Are you going to add to all of the mess that the world already has, or are you going to be a prized addition?
YOU have the potential to do great things.
Are you going to add to all of the mess that the world already has, or are you going to be a prized addition?
YOU have the potential to do great things.
We know there is right, we know there is wrong. At least we should!
What is right? Well, what makes you happy, genuinely happy? What in your life brings you complete peace and happiness? Well not only you, but those around you as well. Sometimes, I think we tend to forget that our decisions affect our lives and everyone else's around us.
....What do we believe in?
What do we hope in?
Too often lately, I have felt those I love around me losing hope in things.
Sometimes, Life is hard.
Sometimes, Life is very unexpected.
...But it is always worth it.
I am a believing woman, and as you will see in my blog in the future, that religion I am apart of stems into a lot of who and why I am who I am. I try to be a good person, but I am also far from perfect.
I worry too much, stress too much, am moody too much, can be ungrateful, selfish, judgemental, the list goes on and on...
The reason I say this is because I am just a normal girl. We are all imperfect.
We are all normal. Celebrities, cooks, lawyers, models, fitness coaches, teachers, parents, children. We are normal. We are all people. People who have feelings, fears, dreams, loves, inspirations.
But do we have hope to do good and be good.
...Or at least we should.
If we don't have hope, we don't have anything. We can be that good!
Unfortunately, a lot of us can be brought down, and depressed by what's going on all around us.
In this world we live in, it is very easy to get discouraged with all the horrible events that go on daily...the news, the media, kids at school, people in your work environment....it seems like we can never escape the evils, or despairs that seem to surround us.
Heck, if you look at our celebrity "role models" in this day and age, it's not hard to be anything but disgusted, or worried about what the future holds for you and future generations. However, we have to focus on the bright side. We have to hold on to what makes us strong, and be a light in the darkness.
If you turn off the news, entertainment programs, the computer, facebook, stop looking at magazines, or media columns online, you can really sit back and evaluate what is really important for you to spend your time on:
Turn off the news, turn on a documentary.
Stop looking at pointless gossip columns, look at textbooks.
Stop wasting time on the latest celebrity arrest or divorce, start a journal blog about YOUR life; read your friends' journal blogs, or other's lives who have actually made a world of a difference.
Turn off facebook, spend time with your actual family and friends, or make new ones.
Go to classes, learn something new!
Find out for yourself the purpose of your life.
Be happy, and if you're not, get happy!
Love your family, love your friends, and serve them.
Get your degree that you keep putting off for one reason or another. If you have one, put it to use!
Go apply for that job you've always wanted.
Share with the world your hidden talents that each and every one of you have!
Spend your life doing what you love in your life!
Knowledge, love, and happiness are key in our life, and we can be so quick to forget those things with all the noise we constantly deal with.
We can learn, love, create, serve, invent, nurture. We can can inspire, motivate, and dream.
We can do so many positive things. We are given such amazing bodies with so many talents.
We can do our part to make our world and communities, positive and more uplifting. It isn't going to get done if we all sit back in complacency! It's not going to get done if not are not responsible and self-sufficient for ourselves and our actions.
We can do our part to each fulfill our capacity, and live our destiny to follow our dreams to be amazing.
Also, we can help lift up others who at the moment, need a helping hand.
....but we aren't going to get anywhere without aspiration and hope.
Hope is the driving feeling, driving force that keeps us going.
I visited a family in my church, who the father of the family is a family counselor. I asked him how he liked his job, and he responded positively, but also said something along these lines.... "These people I talk to have no drive. They have no central force to keep them going, to make their life worth living, to make them happy. That's why they come to me. It's so sad. I can't force them to have that. They have to learn it on their own."
I was talking to my husband the other day, and he told me this statistic, (studies show): Elderly people are 89% more likely to die within 5 years of their retirement, at 55 years of age than those who work until 65 and retire then. I sat and thought about that... They now have no cement in their life, no foundation to keep them going everyday. Having nothing to live for, leads to nothing at all. They now have no more dreams and goals insight left.
That's why we need hope. We need dreams and goals.
We need to be a leader in so much confusion. We need to step out and be the best doctor, teacher, blogger, lawyer, politician, mother, role model, caregiver, we can be. Do what you are good at. Help others to see that life is good for them too, that they have special talents too.
We need positivity in our lives, we need inspirations and people to look up to.
Do you want to live a life full of regret?
Stop letting your fears, or doubts get in the way, of everything you've ever wanted.
It's not too late, start now, start today. You CAN do it... Even if you start, then stop, then start up again. Don't give up. Never give up.
That's why I started this blog- A dream is just a dream, until it is written down, then it becomes a goal! We can all inspire each other when we learn how capable one another is. I am inspired when I know someone has fulfilled THEIR goal and inspires others from their accomplishments. We are all amazing and have something special to give on Earth. We only live once here. Your life IS worth living. We are all different with different strengths. Do what you love. Everyone else will love it too because it makes you happy.
You are one in a million.
....What do we believe in?
What do we hope in?
Too often lately, I have felt those I love around me losing hope in things.
Sometimes, Life is hard.
Sometimes, Life is very unexpected.
...But it is always worth it.
I am a believing woman, and as you will see in my blog in the future, that religion I am apart of stems into a lot of who and why I am who I am. I try to be a good person, but I am also far from perfect.
I worry too much, stress too much, am moody too much, can be ungrateful, selfish, judgemental, the list goes on and on...
The reason I say this is because I am just a normal girl. We are all imperfect.
We are all normal. Celebrities, cooks, lawyers, models, fitness coaches, teachers, parents, children. We are normal. We are all people. People who have feelings, fears, dreams, loves, inspirations.
But do we have hope to do good and be good.
...Or at least we should.
If we don't have hope, we don't have anything. We can be that good!
Unfortunately, a lot of us can be brought down, and depressed by what's going on all around us.
In this world we live in, it is very easy to get discouraged with all the horrible events that go on daily...the news, the media, kids at school, people in your work environment....it seems like we can never escape the evils, or despairs that seem to surround us.
Heck, if you look at our celebrity "role models" in this day and age, it's not hard to be anything but disgusted, or worried about what the future holds for you and future generations. However, we have to focus on the bright side. We have to hold on to what makes us strong, and be a light in the darkness.
If you turn off the news, entertainment programs, the computer, facebook, stop looking at magazines, or media columns online, you can really sit back and evaluate what is really important for you to spend your time on:
Turn off the news, turn on a documentary.
Stop looking at pointless gossip columns, look at textbooks.
Stop wasting time on the latest celebrity arrest or divorce, start a journal blog about YOUR life; read your friends' journal blogs, or other's lives who have actually made a world of a difference.
Turn off facebook, spend time with your actual family and friends, or make new ones.
Go to classes, learn something new!
Find out for yourself the purpose of your life.
Be happy, and if you're not, get happy!
Love your family, love your friends, and serve them.
Get your degree that you keep putting off for one reason or another. If you have one, put it to use!
Go apply for that job you've always wanted.
Share with the world your hidden talents that each and every one of you have!
Spend your life doing what you love in your life!
Knowledge, love, and happiness are key in our life, and we can be so quick to forget those things with all the noise we constantly deal with.
We can learn, love, create, serve, invent, nurture. We can can inspire, motivate, and dream.
We can do so many positive things. We are given such amazing bodies with so many talents.
We can do our part to make our world and communities, positive and more uplifting. It isn't going to get done if we all sit back in complacency! It's not going to get done if not are not responsible and self-sufficient for ourselves and our actions.
We can do our part to each fulfill our capacity, and live our destiny to follow our dreams to be amazing.
Also, we can help lift up others who at the moment, need a helping hand.
....but we aren't going to get anywhere without aspiration and hope.
Hope is the driving feeling, driving force that keeps us going.
I visited a family in my church, who the father of the family is a family counselor. I asked him how he liked his job, and he responded positively, but also said something along these lines.... "These people I talk to have no drive. They have no central force to keep them going, to make their life worth living, to make them happy. That's why they come to me. It's so sad. I can't force them to have that. They have to learn it on their own."
I was talking to my husband the other day, and he told me this statistic, (studies show): Elderly people are 89% more likely to die within 5 years of their retirement, at 55 years of age than those who work until 65 and retire then. I sat and thought about that... They now have no cement in their life, no foundation to keep them going everyday. Having nothing to live for, leads to nothing at all. They now have no more dreams and goals insight left.
That's why we need hope. We need dreams and goals.
We need to be a leader in so much confusion. We need to step out and be the best doctor, teacher, blogger, lawyer, politician, mother, role model, caregiver, we can be. Do what you are good at. Help others to see that life is good for them too, that they have special talents too.
We need positivity in our lives, we need inspirations and people to look up to.
Do you want to live a life full of regret?
Stop letting your fears, or doubts get in the way, of everything you've ever wanted.
It's not too late, start now, start today. You CAN do it... Even if you start, then stop, then start up again. Don't give up. Never give up.
That's why I started this blog- A dream is just a dream, until it is written down, then it becomes a goal! We can all inspire each other when we learn how capable one another is. I am inspired when I know someone has fulfilled THEIR goal and inspires others from their accomplishments. We are all amazing and have something special to give on Earth. We only live once here. Your life IS worth living. We are all different with different strengths. Do what you love. Everyone else will love it too because it makes you happy.
You are one in a million.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Ships and Stripes - {My Dream}
Hi, my name is Monica Shipley. I created this blog. I want to tell you a little about myself
before I go on.
I have always been quite the girly girl. I never played
sports, (or wanted to); I never liked anything outdoorsy (too dirty), or wanted
anything to do with jeans, or the color orange. My favorite color has been pink
ever since I was a teeny tiny, and it’s never changed. I was always the friend who would braid my BFFs’
hair when we were bored, and tell them what to wear, what to buy when we
shopped, and how to look. What Not to Wear, Project Runway and America’s Next
Top Model, were my go-to TV shows, and I would always think of what I would recommend
if I was in their shoes. Clueless was my motto – AS IF! In high school, I went
to beauty school because I had then decided I wanted to be a hair stylist.
During beauty school, we would have hair shows and for both years, I was one of
the models in it. I did NOT want to be the stylist in those situations. I had
more fun dolling up and walking on stage having a kick booty time! I wanted to
be someone people looked up to and modeled after. I love being a
guru/teacher/role model to others! The
last year in beauty school I was nominated and (later voted) to be that year’s
Miss Evit. Miss Evit was associated with United Way. Basically, whoever raised
the most money, (got the most votes), would win the crown and be names Miss or
Mr. Evit. I won for my class, rap parody of Ke$ha and all, and raised the most
out of the 3 or 4 other girls nominated. It was one of the greatest
accomplishments in my life. Not only did I raise money for charity and be able
to be the face of my school that year in charity balls and walks, but I did
something for myself and got to wear a crown all at the same time. We did a few
photo-shoots and like the prima donna I am, soaked it all up. Needless to say, I even wore my crown to my
graduation at the end of the year….I was the only one that ever did that, and
looking back I am like (what was I thinking?!) All in all, it shaped me to
become more of who I wanted to be in my life. {{Bear with me; I’m done talking
about my cheesy life}}
Monica, the name itself, means counselor, or one who helps
others. I have always found joy in making others happy, or giving them
guidance. So, my example of Miss Evit
was a perfect combination of two things I love the most: Fashion/style/beauty
and service. After I graduated from beauty school, I began going to the
community college to get my degree in social work. I love styling hair, don’t
get me wrong, but it not my one passion, NOT my “career”. As time goes on, I
will tell you more and more about my childhood that drove me to go in that
direction as well, but I digress. I want to make a point and also say that my
childhood was hard, (VERY hard), and I am now a normal, happy, healthy, happily
married woman now of 21 years. I want to show that anyone can rise out of what
they went through in their past and come out strong, and on top. My religion is the most important aspect of my
whole world. I am Mormon, (LDS), and service, charity and loving others are key
points in what I believe. In a very sacred, special blessing I was given as a
teen, it tells about how my duty in life is to serve others and for that reason
I was brought to this Earth. At times, I forget about this and live life trying
to figure out what to do with it, but then I always remember this.
That is why I made this blog in the first place. Granted it’s
been a year since I’ve done anything with it, but I failed myself. I want to
make this world a better place and I want to inspire. Ship set sail was
supposed to be about dreams and aspirations. Well, I want to live mine! Here is
my dream! I want to inspire others to be
happy, be healthy, be stylish, be beautiful and confident in your own skin, rise
up out of the darkness, and follow your dreams.
My dream is to start
a company non-profit, (or maybe for-profit), for confidence of children. It
will be geared more for girls. That is why I came up with the name Ship Set
Sail. It’s a little play on words for my last name “Shipley”, and also what
the point of the organization even is! If you let go of all your fears, and let your
ship sail, you can go anywhere. You can do anything you set your mind to. My
idea was to have classes, confidence classes, beauty classes, fashion classes,
cooking classes, exercise classes, (tips and tricks and inspiration for those
who may struggle). Being a teen is hard, being a child is hard, heck, life is
hard, but that shouldn’t stop you from reaching your goals. I want to put kits
together with reminders how to take care of yourself, know that each and every
single one of you is gorgeous inside and out! I want to feed your brain, feed
your confidence and feed your soul. I want to help you realize that you don’t
have to be any certain way to be able to follow your dreams; you just need to
be you. I want to put together boutiques where we all can showcase our talents
whether it’s making adorable headbands, or playing piano, we all have something
to share. We all deserve to be inspired;
we all deserve to be able to follow our dreams. WE ALL DESERVE TO KNOW THAT WE
ARE BEAUTIFUL. –And to be confident.
I started this blog to get my dream going. I am confident in
myself. I am confident in others. I know I have something to give. I want
others to share what they have too! Goals and dreams- what keeps them living
day to day? When I really began a year ago, I got really depressed after only a
few posts, because after the 20+ people I asked to please help me share my
dream to share their life goals, I only received 2 responses. To a newbie
blogger, that was a huge kick in the tummy.
I now realize, I don’t need anyone else, but me, to get my blog going.
After all, everyone’s life is crazy; I can’t withhold my own dreams to wait for
theirs!
So, I will in the meantime start my blog myself. I will try
to inspire with what I know. So, I will post what makes me happy: Fashion,
hair, advice, vintage, crafts, and my testimony.
I will share what I know to be beautiful inside and out, and
how to be the best person I can be.
Because that’s my
dream: To be an inspiration, so others can be an inspiration too.
Here’s my first fashion picture, because fashion I love!
Showing that you can be “fancy” (as a little girl at church told me today)
on a budget. This was the outfit I wore today:
Head band: Rue 21 -$5.99 Shirt:
Forever 21: $17.99* Skirt: Pitaya $6.99* Shoes: Ross $13.99* (*approx.) I love
me a good sale. I will share how you can be trendy, MODEST, and girly in future
posts. Also, I will share how to be smart with the money you have. Also,
(random side note), Goodwill is a YES! Don’t ever be ashamed if you shop
there! It’s probably my favorite store!
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Be inspired. Be an inspiration. Let your ship set sail.
If you are interested in helping my cause, whether it’s to help me start up my little charity, or to enter in a blog post for your hopes and goals and dreams (or even just what you are passionate about, (mothering, cooking, exercising, teaching ect.) Please do. Email shipsetsailblog@gmail.com . Email if you have comments, or questions. Email if you have knowledge or advice. Until then, I will try and inspire, by sharing what I know and enjoy! I want to see this get big, so we can help those around us gain confidence, follow their dreams, and feel beautiful.
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