The 'Hustle.' What's your hustle?

What's your hustle?


The urban dictionary defines hustling as 'doing anything to make money even if it is a bit shady or illegal.' I'm not talking about illegal hustling. Let's make that clear. 

Hustling is nothing new to Anguilla's context but it seems that more people are adopting the 'hustle' mentality.

I seem to be hearing this word a lot more lately. Most times when I hear it though, I am pretty confident that the hustling to be done is not illegal or shady. In many cases, the hustle is something positive.

Everyone wants to do more and earn a dollar or an additional dollar. What I admire about 'the hustle' is the entrepreneurial spirit it evokes in many. I have noted more persons are using innate talents and skills whether it is singing, dancing, playing an instrument, drawing, designing etc. to make a dollar. There are more small businesses opening, more events being planned and more energy in and about the island. Kudos, to all the persons who have found a way to make an honest dollar. Just do it right.  Ensure you have the correct licenses and permission and continue to do your thing. Dream big!

I have noticed also there is another hustle going on. This hustle slowed down during the 'cold' months but now everyone is back on their 'hustle.' Yes I am talking about exercise.

The roads are buzzing, the gyms are packed and the 'Biggest Loser competitions ' and 'Boot Camps' have no shortage of participants.

I just want to remind everyone who is striving for a summer body, that proper diet and exercise should be a year round activity for our general well-being. Keep doing your thing and don't stop exercising after Carnival.

There are a lot more trainers and persons who exercise year round so even if your friends don't want to 'hustle' in December to March when it is dark and cold, don't let that stop you.

I want to shout out to our small group of year round fitness 'hustlers.' You can find us on the park three days a week from 5:30am whether it is dark without a moon or sunshiny bright like it is currently.

If you are looking for a small group to get your fitness 'hustle' on with, do send me a message.

Today, get your fitness and entrepreneurial 'hustle' on.

Don't forget to check out my website My Anguilla Experience for more interesting stories on what's going on with me in Anguilla.

Why fit in when you can stand out! 5 Surprising ways you can stand out from the crowd.

Hi everyone

I actually stole this topic from my sister’s BB and Facebook page. She was talking about her store but I thought this would work fabulously as a blog entry. Thanks Sis.  She owns a trendy store in East End called Hottest Selections. If you haven’t checked it out...Please do!

Read on for some great tips on how you can stand out from the crowd.

1)    Dress up when everyone is dressing down. Go ahead and wear those fabulous heels.  Yes, persons will talk about you because you look great! That is the objective right.

2)    Things will not always go your way and that’s ok. How you deal with things when they go wrong will determine if you just fit in or if you stand out. There are lot more people in this world who are negative than those who are positive. Which category do you want to fall into?

3)    Be an original. Facebook, blogs, twitter, youtube etc. have given all of us a platform and if we choose to, we can be ourselves or we can be a copy of someone else. Have and share your own opinions. Show off your own skills. Remember, the original is always better than the copy.

4)    Don’t be afraid to lead. You may not be a natural leader but you can develop and enhance your leadership skills. When you demonstrate the willingness or the ability to lead you immediately stand out from the crowd.

5)    Try something new! We all have things we would like to do but it may be a bit too far from our ‘comfort zone.’ Maybe you want to start a YouTube channel or join a band or start a small business. What’s holding you back? There is nothing sadder than ‘I wish I had.’ I personally prefer ‘I did.’ Don’t you?

UPDATE

My mango tree is still alive. The leaves are definitely more green than brown, kind of like my lifeJ.  My pumpkin patch has numerous pumpkins which we have been enjoying and sharing with family and friends. By the way, my mom makes a fabulous pumpkin pie. Another totally useless titbit...the hen that made a nest in my yard had her chicks...aren’t they the cutest!

Hope this blog entry was useful and at the very least I hope it made you smile. Have a great weekend!

Do share any comments below.

Let's Race against Aids!

HIV, AIDS, STI’s – words not generally used in our everyday conversations but words which can change a person’s life forever.

We had a planning meeting for Anguilla’s Race against AIDS today. I did not know that this meeting would result in an hour long discussion on HIV/AIDS and that I would walk out of the Optimist Clubhouse with added awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS.  I thought I knew a lot but as I learn everyday there is always so much more to learn.  Like Cancer, more and more families are being touched by HIV/AIDS but it is still less widely discussed and accepted.

World AIDS Day is on December 01, 2011. Anguilla's Race against HIV/AIDS will be held on November 26^th, 2011. Race categories include  the 1k, 5k, 10k and half marathon. I am encouraging each of you to get involved in the Race or in another activity which will help to bring greater awareness about this epidemic.

I am also encouraging you to take control of your personal life today. Get tested today. Don’t say yes to sex until after you and your partner have gotten tested. Use a condom every time. These are simple steps to help protect yourself and those you love.

Around us though are many people who may be HIV positive. Some we know and some we don’t. We need to continue to develop and encourage an attitude of tolerance, understanding and support for those who are infected and in the open and also for those who are afraid to come out in the open because of fear of being ostracised.

HIV/AIDS thankfully is no longer an automatic death sentence. With the right medication, a healthy lifestyle and plenty of support individuals can live a long and fruitful life.

Nevertheless, you can and should protect yourself from this disease. Abstain, use protection, get tested – simply be responsible.

I encourage you to make wise, safe and healthy choices starting today.

Join motivated and passionate members of the community for the Race against AIDS on November 26th, 2011. I will be on the starting line - the girl in the black tights and Race Againt Aids T-shirt :). SET, READY, GO - See you there!

How to make a choice to stay positive

Hi everyone

Do you agree that life is all about choices? I certainly do. We make choices daily. Should I wear heels or should I wear flats? Should I wake up at 5:30am to exercise or should I sleep in until 7am? Should I attend a class, seminar or workshop or should I stay home and watch Operation Repo or Real Housewives of New Jersey?  Sounds familiar?

We all make these and many more choices daily and the choices we make shape our lives and impact our future. Many times we create our own problems, our own drama, our own negative situations but too many times we don’t want to take responsibility for our choices and our actions.

Blaming others will get you nowhere. I always loved the saying, ‘if you are not part of the solution; you are the part of the problem’. Many of us are our own worst enemy and accepting that fact is an important step to allow us to move forward daily.

So what about trying to change your mindset, the way you think? Yes, with the recession, things are hard. Yes, you have bills and children to take care of. Yes, dreaming big can be scary. These things are all true but dare to dream big and have a vision. Then translate your dream into reality by taking small steps or big steps to get you to where you want to be.  Seek to improve yourself in some way every day!

I look around me and I see persons who are striving for success despite the recession. I see these persons when I attend youth ambassador meetings and leadership training sessions. I see them at places like the National Conference on Youth and Development and I see them taking classes and seminars like my Personal and Professional Development Course and many others.

There is tremendous value in investing in you and there are so many opportunities to do that around us. So decide to get fit, decide to take a class, decide to get involved and decide to change your attitude towards your life and your future. Do it today.

Is Your Life an Open Book?

Hi Everyone

The school year has started. As I watch the students in their uniform from the preschoolers to the sixth formers, I can’t help but smile as I recall my school days. I really enjoyed school. I had wonderful friends many of whom I am still close to. I was very involved in extra-curricular activities and I did relatively well academically.

I must say congratulations to the students who topped Cape and CSEC. You continue to make your parents and Anguilla proud. To those who worked hard and did your best in your subject areas congratulations as well! Continue to do your best!

I attended a church service earlier this week for students who were starting or returning to school. The guest speaker for the students was very good and even as an older youth the message spoke to me.

The guest speaker tried to impress on the young people that their life is like a book. He noted that every action or decision they made or will make is written in that book for anyone to read so they should try to make good choices. He said that we should all try to live a life which we would be happy to share with anyone and that of course God should be at the centre.

As I sat there, I reflected on my life thus far. Is my life an open book? Do I lean too much on my own understanding?

These are questions we should always ask ourselves. So today, take a second to look back; don’t dwell on the past though. Use the reflection as an opportunity to move forward strategically, positively and faithfully.

I certainly am!

How to choose a path for success

As I exited the bank the other day, some tourists pulled up beside me and asked for directions to a grocery story. I gave them clear directions using words like ‘left’ and ‘right’ which I was positive if followed correctly would take them to their intended destination.

Life, however does not work this way. I recently read a book entitled ‘More than a Dream’ – Prescriptions for Success.’ It was a feel good, simple book with lots of anecdotes and inspiring quotations…so I read it...now what?  Well apply these prescriptions to your life and you will be successful of course….I am not convinced.

We all define success in different ways and success means different things at different stages in our lives. For some of us success is synonymous with having strong familial relationships, for others it means reaching some pinnacle in your career and yet for others it might mean taking that first step when you were told by doctors that you would never walk again.

There are no clear prescriptions for our lives. There are no directions to show us how to get to that place we want to be, how to reach that goal we want to reach. There are of course many books, videos, inspirational speakers who can give advice about how to proceed but for each of us the road to success will be different.

I think that makes life interesting. Don’t you? Today take that first step towards success (you know within you what it is)…left, right, up, down…you choose.

I have Today!

Yesterday is gone.             

A line in the Optimist Creed reads ‘Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future’  At a recent Optimist International Conference, it was debated whether or not to change the words ‘Forget the mistakes’ to ‘Learn from the mistakes.’ In the end it was decided that the original wording would remain.

Whether your strategy for dealing with the past is learning from it or simply forgetting about it...the fact remains – yesterday is gone, we cannot change what happened but the good news is each of us has today.

And today I have made a choice to start a blog because I have something to say. What choice did you make today? You got out of bed. Congratulations. Now what? Did you get out of bed with a positive attitude? Did you stick to your fitness regimen of diet and exercise? Did you read that book you have been meaning to read for the last week, month, and year?

If you got out of bed and did something worthwhile – something which would change or positively impact your life or the life of others around you….Congratulations!’ You are well on your way to embracing the concept ‘I have today’.