Well, This is Embarrassing, but I'm Sharing Anyway...

I was in an improv class years ago during my days of pursuing acting and it was my turn to get up in front of the class and await my scene instructions. I nervously stood up taking the smallest steps possible to prolong the time, but within a few quick strides I was standing in front of the class with all eyes on me. With all the training and classes I had taken over the years, I never felt confident in my acting abilities. I always felt like I needed more training, more practice, and more confidence before I could go for the big roles I desired.

Once I was in front of the class, my acting teacher gave me my scene on the spot.

I wish I could say I immediately started acting out the scene, but that is not what happened.

Instead, I froze.

But wait until I tell you what my instructions were.

My instructions were to act out my morning routine.

SOMETHING I DID EVERYDAY, and I froze.

Pretty embarrassing, huh? I imagine my teacher must have seen the question marks and invisible wheels turning in my head, because she began to help a sister out.

She simply asked, “Tiffany what is the first thing you do in the morning?” As she went on to say, “Don’t overcomplicate it.” This simple question/statement allowed me to stop over thinking the entire process and it allowed me to focus on just the first step.

But then I did it again.

I thought to myself, I brush my teeth as soon as I get up. But then I got stuck again and did not know where to start. Once again, the teacher came to my rescue, saying, “what is the first thing you do in the morning?” Brush my teeth I replied. “Okay then what is the first step to brushing your teeth?”

Then it clicked.

I immediately started to act out the scene…I turned on the imaginary faucet. I grabbed my toothbrush. I got my toothpaste out of the invisible drawer and put the toothpaste on the toothbrush. I rinsed the toothbrush under the water briefly and then proceeded to brush my teeth. I then grabbed my face towel and ran it under the water, wrung out the excess water and began to wash my face.

Everything became easier and started to flow once I got started.

You may be thinking, why was that so hard? And I would have thought the same thing if I had been the one in the audience as opposed to being the one with all eyes on me.

But what I noticed is that the same feeling of “not knowing where to start” followed me into my life coaching business. It began to show up as self-sabotage and perfectionism giving me an excuse to stay stuck instead of figuring it out. It gave me an excuse to not do anything if I could not do it perfectly, because after all people were watching. However, the real culprit behind all of this was FEAR.

Can you relate to this?

Anyone who is brave enough to go after their dreams and get out of their comfort zone will feel this at times, but it is not an excuse to stay frozen.

In this example I was given instructions by my acting teacher and still was not sure what to do. So, imagine what would have happened if I would have had to produce my own scene on the spot. I believe this would have been even harder to do.

And this is what I find so many people are doing wrong. They are trying to figure out the scenes of their life on their own without any instructions. And they are stuck.

This is like getting hired for a principal role on a movie, only to go on set and toss the script to the side and decide to produce your own script. That would not work, would it?

This is what so many people do every day and they wonder why purpose seems to elude them.

Friend, if you are feeling stuck and are not sure of your purpose, the first thing you should do is pause and ask the “instructor” for help. God is the only one who can give you the instructions and the steps you need to take. He will help you figure out what to do and where to start if you ask.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, Call to me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.

This is one of my favorite verses that I recite whenever I am feeling overwhelmed and stuck with what to do next.

Friend, as you begin to write your vision and make it plain this year, make sure you wait for your instructions as you call out to the Lord, for He will surely answer. And when He does… do not overthink it. Do not overcomplicate it. Simply take the first step and the rest of the steps will begin to flow.

Until next time,

 Tiffany

Next Steps for the Oh So You Culture Community

• I will be talking more about vision and purpose on the next Tuesdays with Tiffany happening this coming Tuesday, January 25th 8am EST. Please do not miss this. It’s going to be powerful. To join simply follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/ohsoyoucoaching and save the date and time.

• If you missed the very first, Tuesdays with Tiffany, you can check it out here: I revealed my word for 2022 and explained how embodying this word will change the trajectory of your life in 2022. If you are serious about changing your financial future check it out.

• My, Sacred Side Hustle Signature Program, is open and now accepting applications. This program is for professional career women who are working in soul crushing careers and are desiring to shift into their spirit led calling. You can apply here.

• P.S.S. My book Peace Stealers is still getting rave reviews. If you struggle with anxiety and you want to have more peace, this book will help you to do just that. It tackles 21 areas that steal your peace and contributes to anxiety. Click here to purchase. Also, if you have read the book, I would be so grateful if you left a review on amazon. It will help more people to know about the book and sharing is caring :)). 

Help, I'm Insecure! (Blog +Video)

I have a confession to make, friend. Not too many years ago, I ran from my assignment. To give you a little background, in 2005, I graduated from pharmacy school and moved to Houston, Texas. I quickly started growing roots and became a member of a great local church at the recommendation of a friend.

I grew accustomed to quietly slipping into the pews Sunday after Sunday and jetting out of service as soon as the benediction was given before anyone could ever speak to me (I was hiding).

One Sunday, one of the young ladies at the church managed to catch up with me right before making a B-line for the door to ask me if I wanted to be part of a production the church was putting on. I am not sure if she knew, but I had spent the majority of my life performing and or training to perform. So, I agreed because it would give me a chance to do what I loved and it was time for me to stop running and meet new people. After several rehearsals, the day finally came, and the production went great.

I absolutely love dancing and performing.

Although I was this quiet, introverted, mysterious girl who tried to slip in the back pew at church unnoticed, I am a totally different person when I perform.

After the performance, I was asked to be over the dance team at church. And again, I agreed. The thing is, although I loved to dance, I hated choreographing—emphasis on HATED. But I said yes anyway, having no idea what I was getting myself into.

I began putting dances together (solo and group performances) and the anxiety that had already been a part of my life got even worse.

I tore myself apart, trying to put the perfect dance together. Perfectionism got the best of me as the mean girl inside my mind kept harassing me with thoughts such as, “these moves are so simple and elementary, why can’t you think of more complicated moves.”

What was supposed to be a gift I used as unto the Lord turned into something that was all about me, and my past coming back to haunt me.

When the time came for me to perform the dance, I was ready, but no one knew the turmoil and hell I went through to put the dance together.  On the performance day, I had already made up in my mind that this would be the last time I ever danced unless someone took over the headache of choreographing.

I remember I danced to Israel Houghton’s song called, Moving Forward. And after church, so many people came up to me and told me how they could feel the presence of God every time I danced and that they could not wait until the next time. I decided to try to stick it out and try again. I danced two more times and on the third time, Unfortunately, I ran from the assignment.

It was not until I was sitting down to write my story for my book, Peace Stealers, that I began to notice a pattern and I figured out why I was so hard on myself when it came to choreographing.

Friend, I know I have been telling my story, but I’m sure you have a story too. Have you ever been intimidated by an assignment or a calling that overwhelmed you? Have you ever felt inadequate and unworthy for a role you signed up for? Can you think of a time in the past where you ran, or are you presently running from something that God is calling you to do?

I want you to know that it’s time to stop running. It’s time for you to shut up your inner mean girl and get to the root of what is making you anxious and causing you to run. I mentioned that I noticed a pattern, and what I mean by that – is when I started my coaching business, I noticed those same feelings of inadequacy showing up again, but this time, I knew that if I was going to run, it would be on top of the enemy’s head (can I get a fist pump)!

So, here I am, 5 years later, still walking in my assignment and using my story to help others move forward. If you are dealing with feelings of inadequacy and insecurity and you are ready to move past them, I believe this video will help you to do just that.

I pray it is a blessing to you.

Before I let you go, I need you to know that you are chosen and equipped to fulfill your assignment on Earth.

You have work to do, and it starts with uprooting the peace stealer of feeling inadequate. This video will help you to do just that.

Until next time,

Tiffany

Are You In Alignment? (Blog + Video)

Hey Friend,

Phrases such as living on purpose and living a life of intention are buzz words we often use. But the truth is, it is much harder to live these words out loud. The majority of people are living a life of “have to” versus a life of “want to.” The reason is that it is not possible to live intentionally if you don’t know who you are, how God designed you, and what He designed you to do.

In other words, friend, it’s hard to live in alignment when you don’t know what you were created to do. Take a microphone, for example. If I have a microphone, but I am not aware of its purpose, I may begin to use it as a hammer instead. I may be able to use it as a hammer for a while, but eventually, the microphone will break under the pressure because it was not designed to undergo so much pressure. However, a hammer can withstand the pressure because that was its intended purpose – to deliver an impact, drive nails into wood, shape metal, or crush a rock.

Can you imagine the day the microphone discovers that it was not designed to hit things into a wall, but it was created to project sound and amplify voices? What a difference that would make, right?

The thing is, before the microphone discovered its true identity, it may have thought it was living life by design, but in reality, it was living life by default.

Friend, let me ask you… are you living your life in alignment with who God created you to be?

Are you living life by design, or are you living by default?

What I find is that just like that microphone, when you don’t know your purpose, it’s impossible to live by design. So we result to living by default instead; whether we realize it or not. Default living brings unnecessary pressure and resistance that results from being unsure of the very reason why you were created.

And when purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.

If you are in a season where knowing your purpose and getting into alignment is important to you, then you are in the right place. Peace Stealers: 21 reasons why you’re anxious, why it matters, and what to do about it

As a purpose and alignment strategist, I help women to eliminate anxiety and other negative mental habits that result from not being in alignment with who you are and from not doing what you were created to do.

Being out of alignment is one of 21 peace stealers that I talk about in my book . The conversation around anxiety often leaves out these very practical peace stealers, and I felt compelled to bring awareness to some of the areas in your life that may be keeping you in a pattern of anxiety or depression.

 So, starting with the being out of alignment chapter of my book, Peace Stealers, I created a video (click this link) that I believe will help you to begin to walk this out practically so that you can begin to live life by design.

I pray it is a blessing to you.

P.S. Please Share this video with anyone you know who is struggling to find their purpose. Also, please like, subscribe, and comment if you find this video helpful! It would mean the world. 😊

Until next time my friend,

Tiffany

You are Being Summoned for Duty

Hey friend,

I know it’s been a while since I’ve been in your inbox. I’m not even going to deny the awkwardness of this moment. Nevertheless, I have missed writing and sharing my heart with you. I hope you’ll forgive me for disappearing.

So much has changed since our last encounter, and sooner than later I’ll get around to sharing that story.

But for now, I really wanted to check on you and see how you’re enduring this year of interruption. It’s been a lot to take in, hasn’t it? I wouldn’t blame you if you were already over this year.

I keep hearing the phrase cancel 2020, and I can’t help but cringe at the thought of letting these next 5 or so months float by while waiting for the new year.

I want you to realize that God specializes in interruptions. That is His sweet spot.

Think about the story of Mary. Mary was in the middle of planning a wedding, picking out dresses, and filling out invitations. Then out of the blue, her plans were interrupted by an unexpected encounter with an angel carrying some heavy news.

That encounter led to a pregnancy that wasn’t on her calendar. This interruption almost cost her her soon to be marriage. It also smeared her reputation. I’m sure Mary was wondering, what in the world is going on God?!

 But soon after, she gave birth, and that birth led to something we still rejoice and celebrate today.

So, friend today I want to ask you, is the Lord speaking to you about birthing something that could change the world forever?

In the midst of what the world sees as a pandemic, I see possibilities everywhere. I see interruptions as divine appointments and if you will lean into God like never before, I believe you will truly discover why you’re still here.

At this particular time in history.

You were created to birth and bring fourth life in whatever sphere you find yourself in. That dream doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else.

That dream doesn’t have to appear big and grand. It could simply be pouring into you children and showing the love of Christ everywhere you go. That may seem small, but raising a child is one of the most sacred responsibilities one can have.

And the possibilities are endless from what could happen through the life of your child.

No matter what God sized dream you’re dreaming of, just know that your dream matters.

You matter.

And nothing that has happened in 2020 has caught God by surprise. That’s where I draw my comfort from.

God has a lot to say right now, about you, your dream, your life, and the events going on around you.

But you’re not going to hear him where there is lots of noise.

So, while everyone else is scrolling, googling, listening to the news, finding new ways to use the word entanglement (giggle), and just trying to get by...I need you purposefully focusing on the next half of the year. Praying about your next steps and waiting in anticipation for an encounter with God.

Friend, you are Mary. Without Mary, there would be no Jesus. She was the only girl for the job. And the Lord is looking for the modern day Mary’s to stand up and give birth to something the world desperately needs.

And you are the only girl for the job.

It’s time for you to report for duty. We’re all waiting on you.


Until next time my friend!