Men...it's cold

Yes, this one is for the men.

Hi guys! Life's good? Great. I'm glad. I've been talking to a Few Good Men. Some of you are struggling. Phew! Struggling trying to maintain a lifestyle of "Love & Happiness." We women are not easy to deal with, but I will tell you this: if you have an honest woman, she loves your effort to make her smile and keep her happy.

So why is it cold? It gets cold when your lady isn't smiling. The saying is true that a persons smile can brighten a room. Well the same is even more true for a woman because she puts her heart into her smile. BA-AM! Her smile will warm up your house, your kids, your bedroom, your work, and your life!

Is your lady cold or is she smiling?

What makes a woman cold?

1. Feeling unappreciated. Men you can eliminate this by thanking her for the routine things - ironing your clothes, calling herr in-laws, packing the kids lunch, or cleaning the house. Just say, "Thank you."

2. Not hearing what makes her special. Do you like the way she walks? Do you like how she bites her bottom lip? What about how she laughs? Look her in the eye and say, "I love the way you ______."

3. Not getting touched. A rub here, stroking the back of her neck, rubbing your face against hers, holding her hands and paying attention to each finger you hold,or playing footsies at the dinner table. Go ahead. Do it. Just touch her.

4. Not being looked at. You married her, you chose her - look at her. Look her in the eye. Look at her when she gets dressed, puts on her makeup, or when she sweeps the kitchen. Let her know she has your attention.

Reason numbers 5 - 1,000,000! There are many reasons we as women aren't smiling. But there are solutions unique to each woman. Ask your lady what makes her warm. Ask her what makes her smile. Ask her what she likes. She may not know the answer right away, especially if she spends more time on others than herself. But leave the door open, and ask her to get back with you when she has an answer.

It's cold, but men you have the power to make it warm.

WHAT A BREAK!

Have you ever just taken a break from it all? I didn't realize I have not blogged in over a year! What happened to me? Well, life came in and took me for a ride - again. A ride away from it all. I realized that writing, blogging, and sharing are who I am. So I'm back again. But this time it's for good.

What have I done these past months? Discovered me! Discovered you! I learned that life is about the relationships you make, cultivate, keep, and discard. We are like plants. Give us some food, water, and sun and we grow. When the darkness of winter comes that can be symbolic of bad relationships, we die off. Just like plants.

The people I know who I consider to be successful are happy, prosperous in what they are doing, giving, loving, smiling, sharing, have abundant relationships with friends, family, co-workers, and others in the community, and love to hug (that's me!). These are the people I want to emulate. They someone leave a mark in my mind that life is good for them, even when I know they may have had some trying times.

You see, we are products of our experiences in life. Mine have been good. Mine have been bad. A good upbringing from a Southern momma. A missing father. An abusive marriage that started when I was 18, but that I endured for 10 and a half years. A loving relationship with God. An ugly custody battle in which only God spared my heart. Good jobs with good companies. All of this is who I am. All of this affects how I love and link up with people. This is how we all do it.

Overall though I have decided to purposefully pick and cultivate and end relationships in my life. If I want a loving husband, I have to stop and think and love him the way "he" wants to be loved. If I want my kids to love me, I have to stop and think and love them they want they each individually want to be loved. To have good professional relationships with my co-workers then I needed to join them for lunch when they wanted to dine. If I want friends to call me and think of me, I need to purposefully send them a card, a text, or show up at their house with carry-out one night.

This is my life now. I've progressed from just "Etta Kit" to "The Etta Kit Way". Of course, I will keep you updated on my progress. I have a feeling that how I strive to love others will sprout so many other positive things in my life in such an abundant way.

I'm on a mission to create an entourage of loving relationships, will you join me?

Your Future is here

Hi, it's your FUTURE. You know I'm that point in time that is now here. Ta-da!

You remember how you thought about an idea or where you would be from a long time ago...well now here I am.

I know I sneaked up on ya', didn't I?

You couldn't recognize me, because you forgot to bring me along and nurture me.

That's okay though because I don't go away, I just keep moving ahead!

Anyway, I know the weekends are for sleeping in...ever wonder why your company wants you at work so early? It's because your employer wants to get as much out of you as they can, right? They are smart. But so are you, or they wouldn't have hired you.

So this weekend why not work for yourself and give yourself as much of you as you can? Start early in the morning and do something to help me - your future - out. Just take a little stab at that vision you have. Maybe get some life insurance quotes, download the paperwork for your will, write the letter to get your transcripts to begin college, talk to at least one of your creditors when they call today, buy that Bible for your child, doodle your company logo, send off for the free catalog of stuff you need in your new business venture, have brunch with a possible business partner...

See the many ways you can work for you today? That way the next time I - your future - comes back I will look like something you recognize because you've been building me step-by-step.