Triumph 103: Zipporah's Angels Turns 4

August 14, 2015, Zipporah's Angels, Inc. turned 4 years old. While the journey has been challenging, it has also been one of the most rewarding experiences ever. To commemorate our 4th birthday, the angels had a photo session.


As all activities provide lessons, the photo session was done to give the girls a 'behind the scenes' view of what models endure to showcase the latest fashions. When the session began the girls were very energetic, however, towards the end they were exhausted.


Check out a few of the photos below:

 

Triumph 102: Keeping Kids Engaged

With so many distractions in today's society, it's imperative to find activities that will keep your 'angel' engaged. Whether it be signing up for a ballet class, cooking class, or an afterschool program, a child should be involved in activities that will help keep them engaged.




For instance, if your child expresses interest in the arts, finding an art studio that offers children's classes can be beneficial to your child exploring the arts.



Since this school year has just begun for most children be sure to sign your child up for some extra-curricular activities.  It's also important to help your child stay engaged while in class. The more your child participates in class, the better they're able to retain the information.


Extra-curricular activities include: band, choir, international clubs, sports, etc.

Growning Pains......

First comes adversity and then comes growing pains.......As I sing this to the tune of the youthful "Sitting in a Tree" playground song, I'm reminded that some of life's greatest accomplishments are achieved after experiencing a growing pain or 2.



I'm guilty of questioning why things are happening to me especially since "I've done everything I was supposed to do" but I try to remind myself that my steps are already ordained by God so that whatever I'm going through is just a testament of things to come. Easier said than done, right?





Seriously, it's hard to be positive and remember whose you are when you're going thru an uncomfortable period in your life. So here's a little insight to my personal life:




I quit my job April 18, 2014, with the sole purpose of seeking more. More fulfillment, more responsibilities, more MONEY (run around the church, folks), More stability, more professional growth, more accountability, just MORE. Now, here's the catch: When I quit my job I KNEW that I had everything all sorted out and for a while I did UNTIL the bills continued to roll in and the money  stopped. So I fell into a state of depression.



YEA, I said it. I, LaRia A., the outgoing, energetic, wise soul, fell into a state of depression. And guess what? I made it out. With  the help of my support team, I made it. But guess what's funny about it, now? I reflect back to what drove me to my decision to quit my job of 3.5 years without a new one lined up, my former manager telling me I wasn't just going to go out and earn double my then current salary, a few colleagues suggesting I not quit, and I know I still made the BEST decision to ME.




Me quitting my job ( I did give a 3 week notice  ) was the absolute BEST thing I've done in the past 5 years with the exception of starting Zipporah's Angels. Now, I'm in a very good place: still have amazing friends (realized just who my real friends were during my bout of depression), great family, and in case you're wondering, I'm making almost double what my salary was when I quit in 2014.


I mentioned all of that just so that you can understand that it's best to:
1. Follow your intuition when making decisions that relate to your personal well being.
2. Regardless of what others say, you're steps have already been ordained. Success will be yours, should you wish to attain it.




For help dealing with depression, click here

Triumph 101: Identifying Joy in the Midst of Adversity

One of the biggest challenges one faces is adversity. It's sometimes difficult to find the positive when things aren't looking so good. For instance, the $100K grant that you applied for was declined, BUT you received confirmation that the $25K grant was approved. While some may choose to see the bad ($100K not being approved), I choose to rejoice that the $25K was approved.

Ultimately both grants could have been rejected by the reviewing committee for both grants. In this instance, re align your budget and program, accept that it just may have not been time for that particular program to take place, or find alternative sources of income. Perseverance is key.


In the 4 (well almost 4 years) that I've had the pleasure of working for Zipporah's Angels, I've had to identify ways to manage my disappointment when things didn't pan out as I was hoping. Check out this article for some additional encouragement.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, some of the greatest successes are reached after one has managed through a difficult period in their life. If you don't believe me, just check out our website. It's proof of what can happen when one decides to tackle challenge.

See ya next week & remember "Never let the doubts others have of you govern your everyday life"- LaRia

Balance

Hello All!!


It's quite interesting that after 3 years I find a draft of a post titled "Balance". When I initially started this blog my goal was to document the challenges and triumphs of owning a non-profit. I have not done a great job of 'balancing' my role of Founder, Sr. Financial Analyst, and daughter etc. in the past 3 years.


So, today, I turn a new page and begin a new chapter! Hello to new beginnings!


My goal is to post articles, critiques, and suggestions on how to keep the special "angel" in your life connected.


Looking forward to seeing you all on the next post.

The Season of Thanks

The older I get the more I realize the value of intangible gifts. This year I'm thankful for so very much and have decided to participate in the 22 days of thankfulness:

Day 1: I’m thankful for LIFE

Day 2: I’m thankful for the opportunity to pursue my dreams.

Day 3: I’m thankful for my parents

Day 4: I’m thankful for my siblings, both blood and adopted

Day 5: I’m thankful for Fisk University and the spirit of togetherness.

Day 6: I’m thankful for understanding the importance of serving others

Day 7: I’m thankful for the Chester Community and the children that I serve

Day 8: I’m thankful for my beautiful niece and nephews

Day 9: I’m thankful for my job as it funds my dream

Day 10: I’m thankful for my health

Day 11: I’m thankful for my friends

Day 12: I’m thankful for my support system……always there

Day 13: I’m thankful for laughter---it eases pain

Day 14: I’m thankful for spiritual wealth- the amount of knowledge in the good book (BIBLE)

Day 15: I’m thankful for social media—it’s an opportunity to stay connected to friends near and far

Day 16: I’m thankful for peace- NO drama here

Day 17: I’m thankful for honest individuals- we need more of these individuals

Day 18: I’m thankful for the gift of discernment- for being able to recognize genuine individuals

Day 19: I’m thankful for the Board of Directors for Zipporah’s Angels, Inc.----Together we encourage young girls to become young women

Day 20: I’m thankful for KNOWLEDGE---Knowledge is power

Day 21: I’m thankful for the opportunity to travel…..there’s so much to see in this big little world

Day 22: I’m thankful for the individuals that follow my blog :) 

It's always important to reflect and be grateful of the things we have and don't have. During this season of gratitude, pay it forward to another individual or organization and watch how invigorated you feel afterwards.

50K Coaches

Hello there!!

The movie Akeelah & the Bee (2006) provided insight for everyday trials that still provide key words of wisdom for me in 2012. One of my favorite lines is "50,000 coaches". Akeelah says this as she thinks about all the people that will help her succeed in the national spelling bee.  As an entrepreneur I often reflect on my own 50K coaches.

Each time I'm faced with a challenge there's someone around to offer words of encouragement or an ear to listen. There's someone there to fill the gap and provide a alternative to the impeding problem. I'm sure that as I grow I'll still be able to gain wisdom from my 50K coaches. I'm reminded that I'm not in this race alone and that there are several people rooting for my success. Even the ones that doubt my ingenuity and perseverance are, in their own way, rooting for my success. It may be ironic but those that question or doubt me push me that much harder to succeed and accomplish my goal.

Think about your 50K coaches and how each one has individually impacted your life. I think you'll be surprised at the amount of wisdom that has been imparted upon you by family, friends, acquaintances, and mere strangers. Don't take your coaches for granted.