Created for better

Have you ever sat and said to yourself, “I shouldn’t be doing this?” Perhaps it’s just me, but I’ve always had the feeling there’s so much more to me than what I am, and whatever it is, I should be doing. I’m not quite sure what though, but for quite some time now, I’ve felt very uneasy about my future. I often question my purpose and though I’m almost 99% sure it involves writing, for whatever reason, that 1% won’t let me believe the 99. I know most people have dealt with uncertainty and wrestle with whether or not they’ve made the right career decision. However, if you love what you’re doing, but your purpose is somewhere else, do you stay or do you go? I’m sure many people won’t necessarily go for the latter, because they’re either complacent, paid well or fearful of stepping out on faith. Rather than explore their God-given purpose, they’ll ignore it, because they’re comfortable right where they are.

It’s disheartening, to say the least, because we were created for better, yet so many of us choose to settle for good. I know I’m so much more than who I am and what I’m currently doing, so I won’t stop trying to fulfil my purpose, because I know I have so much more left to do. No matter if I’m afraid or lack the resources to do it, I’m still going to go after it, because if it’s what God has created me to do, He’s already equipped me with everything I need.

Why play it safe, when you were created to be more than just great? You know what you’re supposed to be doing, so why aren’t you?

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Motivated by doubt

Where do you get your motivation from? Is it your family, an inspiring YouTube video, or perhaps an encouraging “note?” There is something or someone that gives us the exact drive and ambition we need, to not only get us through the day, but get us to our goals. Although my students are some of my biggest motivators, I’m often motivated by doubt. Yes, disbelief act as a catalyst for my success. There’s nothing like negative chatter that gets me moving again. To some people that may sound a bit odd, but nothing excites me more, than saying, “I did it,” when they told me I couldn’t. I’m not easily offended by negativity anymore, because I’m too busy using it for fuel. Rather than allow doubt to distract me, instead I let it drive me! Besides, I much more than mere “words,” so the more they say no, the louder I say, watch me! It’s important to be aware of your capabilities, and not allow anyone to limit them. It doesn’t matter what the naysayers say or do, no one has to believe in you, except YOU!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

I did it for me

I didn’t go to college because I had to, I went because I wanted to.

I didn’t quit my job because I wanted to, I quit because I had to.

I didn’t go to therapy because I had to, I went because I needed to.

Can you imagine, how many people are tormented by regret with the things they’ve done, but didn’t want to do? Whether it be your family or significant other, you’ve lived entirely for them. Many years later, you’re seeking a career change, because you’ve “suddenly” realized that working in your current field was never your choice, but their decision.

“I didn’t want to work in Corporate America, but it’s what my family wanted.” I’m sure you were happy to make good money, but sadly, your money didn’t make you happy. “I didn’t want to go to Med School, but it’s what my parents wanted.” You may be a well-established Physician, but all you ever wanted, was to establish your own business. “I didn’t want to get married, but it’s what my significant other wanted.” I’m pretty confident that you love your spouse, but you just don’t love the idea of being married.

One has to wonder, “How do you recoup all the time lost and years spent being who they wanted, but not who you needed to be? No matter what I was told to do, or who I was expected to become, everything that’ve I’ve done, was done for me! It might not be the most glamorous, but I’m happily living MY life.

When was the last time you did something for yourself?

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Everyday

To all the mothers (whether by birth, adoption, or surrogacy), I want you to know that you are loved, constantly thought of, appreciated, and more than anything, you’re wanted and needed. While most of you are only celebrated once a year, I want you to know, Mother’s Day is not your day…everyday is! If it weren’t for you, not only would we not be here, we probably wouldn’t be who we are. Thank you for all you have been to us, done for us, sacrificed for us, but most of all, the love you’ve given us!

Cheers to you, and enjoy your day (and days) to come! We love you!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Deetra La’Rue

Day off

If you were looking for a post or your daily note of encouragement, here it is. Sometimes, you need to learn to take the day off, and take some time for yourself! It’s easy to get burned out, but even harder to recover. If you are tired, exhausted, and restless, that’s your body speaking, so I advise you to take “note” and listen. I don’t care how enthused or eager you are to do something, be just as eager to stop. You don’t have to walk away from it forever, just long enough for you to recharge!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Broken

Have you ever wondered why some people naturally gravitate towards you, and others don’t? Could your personality, style or “vibe,” be the reason for the love, yet also the hate? It’s evident that everyone you meet won’t be fond of you, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t a likable person. What matters is whether or not you like yourself. If you don’t, you’ll take offense to everything someone says to you, regardless of how large or small it is. I used to be that way, until I stopped consenting to negativity. I don’t long for validation and acceptance anymore, so my days of people pleasing and impressing others are over. More than anything, the only person I try to be better for, is myself. Even then, there are times when I’m not good enough for me. “If only they knew,” is something I constantly say to myself, because for some strange reason, people seem to think I have it all, and when they do, I let them. I don’t try to change anyone’s thoughts or opinions about me, because it doesn’t matter what I say or do, if they don’t like me, they still won’t. I spent a lot of years trying to correct issues people had with me, when there was nothing that needed to be fixed, except for their low self-esteem. I wasn’t the one that was broken, they were!

There’s nothing wrong with change. Just don’t do it because someone tells you to. Do it because it’s what’s best for you!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

It took awhile

Beautiful timing

Majority of my themes are reoccurring, but I’ve noticed so are a lot of my problems (and others). I’m repetitive with my messages, but it’s only because I’m trying to convince and help you, and myself too. While I do believe what I put out, it can be really hard to take it in. Oddly, I’ve always been great at inspiring and building others up, but struggle to keep myself afloat. Although I consider myself to be Superwoman, I also know when I need to be saved. Whether the rescue is financial, mental, physical or emotional, we all can benefit from some help every once in awhile. Yet sometimes, the most difficult thing is waiting for the help to arrive. Granted God won’t show up when we’d like Him to, Ecclesiastes 3:11 gives us comfort in knowing, “God has made everything beautiful for its own time.”

You may get tired of me saying the same things over and over again, and you may be beyond tired of waiting, but it doesn’t matter how many times I say it, or how long you wait, just know that when it does happen, it’ll be the most perfect and beautiful time. This message (and all for that matter) is not just for you, but myself as well. Rest assured, I’m not just giving “notes,” I’m taking them too!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

More like Abraham

One thing a kid (or anyone for that matter) never want to hear is, “Why can’t you be more like your brother/sister?” In my opinion, it’s not right to make an unfair assessment of someone, based off the character or behavior of their sibling(s). Everyone has their own sense of individuality, so “grouping,” shouldn’t be allowed. Although my sisters and I are extremely close and share some commonalities, we’re also very different from each other (especially in terms of personality) and I expect us to be treated as such. Granted they are women of high caliber (they’re my sisters, so I can be biased), I don’t aspire to be “more like them.” On the other hand, there have been people I’ve admired and looked up to, but none that I wanted to be, although Abraham would be ideal.

If you don’t know anything about Abraham, know that he was a believer, and firm one at that. No matter how hopeless his situation looked, he kept believing. Romans 4:18 tells us, “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would be the father of many nations.” Whatever promise God made, he believed Him for it. It didn’t matter if 40 years had passed, and he didn’t see the promise, he kept believing until it came to pass. v20-21 says, “Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.”

I will be the first to admit, when my light became dim, so did my hope. I couldn’t believe God to do anything for me, because my problems were bigger than my faith. My prayer time was shortened and my ranting sessions were lengthened. I was in dire need of help! Not only did I need a breakthrough, I needed to believe I would get one. While I’ve made some strides, I won’t pretend as though my faith doesn’t still waver. It happens, and when it does, I aim to be more like Abraham. I’ve always stressed the importance of focusing on the promise and not your problems. It can be very challenging and hard, but just think of all the possibilities you can have, if only you just believe.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Didn’t get the memo?

In case you were not informed, or simply need reminding, you can do anything you want to, at any age you are, or any place you are at. You don’t have to be a person of status, to create any. You don’t have to have money to do everything, just some things. You don’t have to be entirely put together, to have things come together for you. Yet you can’t sit on your bum, and think everything is just going to naturally come to you. Let the record reflect, success comes from hard work, not hardly putting in the work. If the latter is the case, how can you be comfortable in knowing, you did nothing, while someone else put you in first place? There are two things people won’t forget, what they did, and who they did it for. So, whatever you want, put in the work and get it for yourself! That way, you won’t spend the rest of your life working for the person who did.

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue

Over the honeymoon

Most recently, I was friends with this counterfeit, I mean guy. Yeah, I’m about to “go there.” I befriended him for several reasons, and stop being his friend for more reasons than I can count. I loved a lot of good qualities he had, until I found out he actually had none. It’s almost as if his “inner me” got tired of pretending to be someone he was not, and what I was not going to do, was stick around to see if things would change. A lot of times, I can be so enamored with someone, that the little things I should be paying attention to, are overshadowed by the big lies they tell. At any rate, I got fed up with the fabricated stories, extreme negativity, and most importantly, his misplacement of blame. In the short time that I knew him, everything he had ever experienced in life, was the result of him being dealt a “bad hand,” yet he was the damn dealer.

Essentially, when the honeymoon was over, so were we! I realized if I couldn’t spend the rest of my life being friends with him, there was no way I could ever be anything more to him. Besides, I wanted so much more for myself, and if all he could give me was lies and negativity, I knew he couldn’t give me anything else. At least nothing good, for that matter. Was the decision to severe ties with him difficult? Initially, no, because I kept trying to make myself not see the things that I did. Was the decision to severe ties with him the best one I’ve made in a long time? Lord knows, but one thing I do know, when God put that fire out, He said it’ll never reignite again…and I wouldn’t want it too! I hate I wasted an entire year of my life that I can never get back, and even though I lost time, I gained a lot of strength and endurance. That experience has taught me to run when my mind tells me to, instead of staying put at my heart’s command.

It doesn’t matter who you are, how seasoned (old) you are, or how smart or wise you are, you can STILL be deceived. God will always show you warning signs and give smoke signals, and when He does, pay attention!

Until next time my NOTE takers!

Deetra La’Rue