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maralascottsblog Forgiveness, Happiness, relationships

Give Your Dull Relationship A Makeover

Once a relationship has been going on for a while doesn’t mean the loving touch that was there before has to end however, it will if the both of you allow it. There are many ways to keep your relationship fresh and full of love if you really want it to work. Try these tips and watch that intimate loving touch return:

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Ø  Stop looking for things to complain about instead, find things to laugh over.

Ø  Don’t pick your battles; don’t pick anything except healthy negotiations to resolve personal issues.

Ø  When dining out, sit next to one another so it’s easier to hold hands and share intimate conversation.

Ø  Put a heartfelt card under his or her pillow, in their drawer or on the car seat. Regardless where you place it they will know that you are thinking of them at the most random times.

Ø  Be random with a surprise, meaning just because on any day, at any time.

Ø  Leave a thoughtful message on a stressful day to help improve their mood. If you know their day is stressful don’t add to it.

Ø  Share words of inspiration as a reminder of the blessings you have.

Ø  Agree to disagree and understand that there are always at least two perspectives and yours belongs to you so be willing to compromise.

Ø  Don’t forget the loving things that brought you together.

Ø  Leave the negative past in the past if you’re still together.

Ø Take time away from everyone else to focus on one another.

Relationships are a work in progress that will have a healthy progression if you choose to pair love with understanding.

maralascottsblog God, Happiness, inspirational stories

Navigating Around Your Opponents

There’s always that point when your life begins to show promise and progress. Happiness begins to fall upon you, love opens a door, and success in your career or relationships with friends strengthen. Without warning, something comes along to jeopardize what you’ve diligently worked to build.  At times you already have enough to deal with, situations that cause stress, have the tendency to surround you even more. As relentless negativity keeps piling on your weary, fraught shoulders, it has the ability to make you feel broken, if not break you. It happens, and it will continue to happen if you decide to keep playing that game. When you’re making a consistent effort to change your life with positive strokes of progression, know the opposition will be waiting for you the same way it’s there … in any game. Opposition is meant to keep you from winning, so it does its best. Keep in mind, when the opposition fights you harder and gets stronger it’s because you’ve become a real opponent. If you don’t want to miss what God is trying to show and do for you, then stop listening to and giving your opponent your attention. Stay grounded with faith. Don’t waste time playing a game that you may lose, but you will win if you stay on the path you were destined to travel.

maralascottsblog inspirational stories

Your Journey in Life

I know where I’ve been and after some time to reflect, I understand the significant labors of my journey. I remember the days that were most challenging for me because they brought the greatest degree of pain. They were the lessons that were the hardest yet, they were my lessons in life. I’m certain I have more to learn and accept the gift of this challenge. As I have, I pray that throughout your journey, you will learn if you choose:

  • To overcome fear;
  • Fight with passion;
  • Not to return fighting with hatred;
  • To invest in yourself to break cycles of destruction that will impede, if not end your life and devastate others that love you;
  • Feel emotions that enrage you to know end but you will let them go so they don’t destroy you;
  • You will not remain a victim regardless of how much pain you’ve endured because;
  • You will put your faith in God and leave the consequences of dealing with others to him;
  • You will lose people you love with every breath you take, but never the powerful memories of them;
  • You will meet others that will bring you solace in your greatest times of need and welcome their strength until yours returns;
  • You will forgive and free yourself from becoming emotionally hostage to circumstances;
  • You will laugh from your soul again;
  • You will dance from your heart with joy;
  • You will continue on with this journey carrying strength, faith, and passion;
  • If he or she hurt you to your core, it doesn’t matter because you will love again and be loved the way you deserve for the rest of your life;
  • Because God will love you forever.

Finish the journey with passion, fight, strength, love and respect for being here to take it.

maralascottsblog children, Forgiveness, Happiness, Helping Others, inspirational stories

Criticizing Others From The Sidelines

You’re sitting in the stands watching a professional football game and your wide-open receiver misses a touchdown because the ball slipped right through his hands. The first thing you do is groan in frustration and say, “He should’ve caught that!”Perhaps you’re right and it was an easy touchdown from your viewpoint, but you never know if you would’ve caught it unless you were in his shoes at that very moment. The problem with the call is after you have the outcome, of course it’s easy to say what should have, and could have been done, in addition to, what you would have done. However, make a note to accept that until it’s you taking that play, you don’t know what would’ve happened.

Now, translate that into daily situations at work, home, school, and anywhere else then remember not to be such a harsh judge. Think back to situations you were in when others expected you to have an outcome that you didn’t reach and remember how you felt. Pass along that consideration from your own experience to your children, friends, family or colleagues. Keep in mind that your negative words can impact the emotional state of someone in a negative way. Being supportive goes a longer way than you may realize at that time. It takes a few seconds and even fewer words to shatter someone’s confidence or hurt their feelings. Comments about failure can break people who you may never expect and hurt those you think are strong enough to handle it. Pass along kindness as your weapon instead of emotional words said in anger.

maralascottsblog God, Happiness, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

The Ties That Bind Can Tear Us Apart

The ties that bind are sometimes the very ties that tear us apart, yet we stay within the proximity to allow the pain to continue on the path causing destruction. Because someone is family doesn’t mean that you should allow them to continuously plant deep seeds of negativity that will grow deeper roots of anger and discouragement inside of you. Although family is supposed to be our lifeline of encouragement, trust, protection, and love it doesn’t always turn out that way. It doesn’t mean you are bound to accept their ways as the way it is supposed to be either. You are not meant to remain a victim and let it wear you down until you can’t function to the capacity you are destined. There is much more to life than waking up each day to fight against those you love. Sometimes, a breath of fresh air and a move towards independence is liberating. Although it may seem difficult to do, it is self-destructive to continue taking. Progressing away from family, if done with positive intentions to better yourself and life as a whole, can be healing for all. It will allow you time to grow, reflect, and understand. You may never know where someone’s pain comes from but you will come to realize that his or her pain is not meant to be yours. This life is a journey and the journey is your individual imprint. Use your powerful prayers to bring God’s favor in order to help them heal.

Hard Work + Faith = Success

maralascottsblog Happiness, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

Self-improvement Comes Through Self-Awareness

Self-improvement comes through self-awareness. Self-destruction comes when you’re unwilling to face reality. –Marala Scott

  The hardest thing about a friendship is that we want to be able to trust our friend with everything we share. Along with trust, we automatically have the tendency to expect friends to agree with our viewpoint whether it’s right or wrong. With a passive, and tearful voice, or angry insistence we seek support for our negative actions when deep inside, the real truth lies unrevealed. We know leaving out the whole truth will undoubtedly make their opinion biased and the problem with that is what we want isn’t friendship. Bullying, forcing, or tricking someone into agreeing with everything we feel or think like a continual support system, isn’t healthy.  In actuality, what is it you want them to support, the truth or you? Having people around to fill your need of being right is like having people on payroll with no input in how the company runs. Take a note from some of the most successful companies and welcome constructive input. If you want to hear what you need to, instead of what you want, select strong, positive, independent thinkers, as friends. We all need to hear things no one else is willing or cares to tell us. Self-improvement comes through self-awareness. Self-destruction comes when you’re unwilling to face reality. The truth may hurt but accepting a positive solution strengthens.

maralascottsblog God, Happiness, inspirational stories, Self-Love

You Think You Have The Power To Change The Past

When you drive down a road you won’t return to, the view behind you narrows until what was once there fades into history such as with life. –Marala Scott

 

It’s interesting how we’re able to hold onto negative experiences and give concentration to what happened instead of creating a solution to resolve those emotions. If you’re reading this, your life didn’t stop because of them. Regardless of what you think, you are meant to go on and persevere. Perhaps you can help someone else along the way. Allow experiences to make you stronger instead of weaker because God willing, you’ll have a long trip ahead of you and will need the strength you’re wasting on negative history. Shift your heart and mindset to make use of the life you have in front of you. Don’t dwell on the one behind you that can’t be altered in any capacity. When you drive down a road, the view behind you narrows until what was once there fades into history. Yes, the road may still be there, but it’s no longer in your future to travel.

maralascottsblog Happiness, Helping Others, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

Telling People What They Want Instead of What They Need To Hear

Tiptoeing around someone’s explosive temper or passive fear of reality does not make a healthy environment. –Marala Scott

I spend a lot of time talking to people and responding to questions in general about life. One characteristic that most people have in common is their ability to ignore reality or the truth when it’s convenient. Many people are afraid to upset or disappoint other people by telling them the truth. I’ve found that the majority already have the answer to their question or know a viable solution. What they’re soliciting is an opinion in hope that they hear something they can manage to do within their comfort level. That’s not reality; it’s denial, which won’t resolve issues. No one can help you if you refuse to look at a situation from an unbiased perspective for what it really is. Tiptoeing around someone’s explosive temper or passive fear of reality doesn’t make a healthy environment or emotional state. Make decisions based on reality not the way you’d like it to be.

maralascottsblog Helping Others, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

Don’t Talk Behind Someone’s Back, Tell Them How You Feel

Don’t smile in someone’s face and talk behind their back. Share an honest smile and be real. That’s how you show respect. ~Marala Scott

There’s always something that needs to be said and there are plenty of ways to communicate what you feel to get your point across. There’s no need to be rude just be direct and honest. The problem comes in when you’re friends with someone who you really don’t like but you’re willing to compromise your standards to be around someone. All you’re going to do is talk behind their back after spending the day hanging out, having lunch, or shopping together. It’s disrespectful to talk behind a persons back instead of just telling them what the problem is or how you really feel and why. The problem with the whole talking behind someone’s back is that you end up having the very same qualities you don’t like in that person. There are several words to describe that type of individual, but do you want that description too? Put your communication on a different level by learning to speak what you feel. Do it properly and without malicious intent, but do it. It speaks volumes about your character and it can actually help the other person if they simply have never been told that you or anyone else has an issue with something they do or have done. Dare to be real!

maralascottsblog children, Forgiveness, God, Happiness, Helping Others, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

Is the Perception of Your Life the True Reality?

Now Available. . . the special version of Marala Scott’s book,

In Our House: Perception vs. Reality

“In Our House” is the chilling true story of an abusive husband, his wife, and their six children trapped inside of a hellish nightmare.

Recruited by both the CIA and IBM the successful, handsome, and deceptive Colin has rendered countless abusive episodes on his beautiful wife, Alley, and his six children until he finally breaks Alley and she is no longer able to fight back. One day, three women involve Alley in a church that promises to protect her and the children from her husband’s attacks. By the time Alley realizes how they will do it, she finds herself demonically possessed with demons eating away at her. The horrifying undertaking is beyond life and now the children must find a way to survive both parents.

Purchase through AMAZON

maralascottsblog Happiness, inspirational stories, Self-Love

Let Your Light Shine

One of the most striking characteristics about our personality is that we all have a light and it’s a very bright light to turn on or off whenever we choose. Unfortunately, the majority of time the light remains off as we hold back the things we do best. Typically, it is our level of confidence that determines whether or not we allow people to see it. Your light is your spotlight as to the incredibly talented and gifted human being God created. When you turn on your light to display your talents you’re revealing that you take pride in who you are. That’s a perfect way to communicate how much you love your unique abilities and self. Don’t be afraid to let your light shine instead of standing and holding the light on someone else throughout your life. It’s not boasting; it’s a presentation of the remarkable talents that God gave you. Celebrate them. It may be cooking, fashion, business, music, dance, art, or anything you desire it to be, but turn it on and become a luminary. You may inspire someone to embrace greatness!

maralascottsblog Happiness, inspirational stories, Self-Love

Beautiful Inspiration

A smile has significant influence over others. It is contagious and sharing yours can make someones day. Always give what you can to inspire. Remember, your smile is free. ~ Marala Scott

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maralascottsblog God, Happiness, inspirational stories, Self-Love

Embrace Being Unique

People spend their lives trying to fit in but it’s when you don’t fit that you are truly unique. Don’t ignore your gifts. ~ Marala Scott

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When I see a piece of art what catches my attention is the uniqueness that it offers.  I love when the expression comes from the soul. The beauty of life is that we’re individuals and every piece of art that makes up our personality is what makes each of us unique. Too often we work to suppress who we are to try and fit in. We want to be accepted as being like others but what does that mean? It means sacrificing who you are only to be less than you were created to be. Understand that when you have to try to fit in it’s because you don’t and you should be okay with that. Be authentic. Love the quirky little things you do that make you laugh. Celebrate your passion and share it with the world. Dive into your creativity without regrets and do it with unyielding fire. Trying to belong to something that wasn’t created for you is denying yourself of the gifts that were designed and handed to you by God. Challenge yourself to bring something unique to this world by being the real you. Leave your imprint, not one belonging to someone else and embrace being unique.

maralascottsblog children, inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

The Effects Cheating Has On Children

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We’re all human and our life will be riddled with mistakes regardless of how big or small they are. The problem is when you’re making choices that can have negative consequences for your children. Infidelity is one of those choices. Most people cheat because they feel neglected in the relationship. Others simply want revenge. Some cheat because the ability to do so is available, providing a thrill. It’s your life and a decision you have to live with, but when you have children involved, think before you indulge in a deceptive game that can devastate them along with the person you’re no longer considerate of. When you intentionally hurt someone your behavior is self-destructive as well, because your morals and values are compromised. You’ve crossed boundaries that should never be crossed that way.

Cheating is a selfish and cowardly act of not considering anyone or anything except your own greed, need, and sexual desires. It’s an immoral way to accomplish something. Consider it stealing or taking something that doesn’t belong to you. Perhaps you’ve been hurt and you want to pay the other person back, or the relationship is no longer what you want. The lack of compassion or respect for the other person is bad enough, but the affects that will carry over to your children, whether you see them or not, is another, which can cause the most damage.

It’s easier and selfish to think that your children will forget about the disruption and sometimes devastation to their life or that it won’t affect them if they don’t know. The fact of the matter is, they will remember and if they didn’t know at the onset, sooner or later they will find out. It may come out in forms you may never care to associate with your actions. You may never realize the destruction to their life or if you do it may be when it’s too late. Parents repeat the same loving words, they would do anything for their children, and then they cheat without considering any of the ramifications. When you destroy a relationship, take more than a fleeting moment to consider everyone in that relationship. If you aren’t happy, get out of the relationship with your dignity intact and move on respectfully. Consider the emotional aftermath your children will suffer although they may not say a single word to you about it. Look at the statistics of young adults in therapy because a parent cheated. Now, consider those that aren’t in therapy and have to emotionally find their own way around your actions. That selfish act can damage your children for life. Is it worth taking that risk? The damage may follow them into their adulthood in many identifiable forms you may not care to take responsibility for. Your children begin to learn their value by what you show them. Teach them that they matter to you by doing things the right way. Cheating is an easy way to succumb to self-pity and self-indulgence, but if you have any ounce of love for your children, consider the affect it will have on them first. That emotional damage can lead to other emotional problems and issues that can have permanent or long-term effects. Teach them how to love instead of how to betray someone. Let them see you hold your head up with courage and respect and talk about the problems before it gets out of hand. It doesn’t mean you can’t end the relationship, it means you can’t be selfish enough to worry about your own needs instead of those of your children.I love you is easy to say but I love myself more is what you’re telling your children when you cheat.

Don’t let your children become an uncalculated casualty of your desire to put yourself first. There is more to the action of infidelity than the act itself. If the other person is aware that he or she is breaking up a relationship and doesn’t care, they can’t possibly love you the way you deserve because they are forgetting about your children. There are other ways to get what you want that won’t take causalities or strip you of your self-esteem and morals. Consider others when they are part of the package. Cheaters typically repeat and you may end up in a relationship with Karma.

maralascottsblog relationships

If your relationship isn…

If your relationship isn’t based on trust and respect what you have is a lie. Seek an honest foundation before love. ~ Marala Scott

maralascottsblog inspirational stories, relationships, Self-Love

Why Won’t You Say, I Love You?

You’ve been dating someone for a while and think you’re in love however, you haven’t heard those three powerful words, I love you. Well, maybe because they’re not little words as they’ve been made out to be. Don’t stress over it. Instead, exercise patience coupled with a spoonful of understanding and cup of reality. Love doesn’t have a time frame that’s activated upon meeting someone. One thing most people fail to understand is that love, just like hate, is a commanding sentiment. It’s not meant to be a temporary use of words to get what you want. If it’s real you will unmistakably know because love is unconditional and it doesn’t hurt. If you don’t hear those words perhaps you should step back and evaluate the relationship as a whole. If you push, convince, or force your significant other to say he or she is in love with you that person may learn to withhold their true feelings for fear of disappointment or igniting an argument. Learn to let love happen naturally as it is a raw and natural expression. If someone doesn’t commit to love, understand that it’s simple, they don’t feel that way, and could very well be buying some time in the relationship until they meet the person they fall in love with. Don’t discount the fact that he or she may not know how to love someone if they don’t display self-love. The most important thing to know is that love begins with you. When you know how to love yourself in the complete sense, you know what love is and won’t settle for anything less than the authentic version. Love yourself and bask in the love of God to fill the void of desperation. If someone won’t say they love you, be thankful they’re not lying to you.

maralascottsblog relationships, Self-Love

Is There Such Thing as a Perfect Relationship?

Relationships mean one thing for sure if nothing else, work! Anything you do will take some degree of effort and a relationship is no different. Let’s be honest, everyone has something about him or her that the other person may not like. It could be the way you drive, the music you listen to, or the way you fold their shirt, but that doesn’t mean your relationship isn’t perfect, it means they have things about them that define who they are. We tend to look for imperfections that people have instead of their perfections. If we took time to notice all of the things that your significant other does that made you fall in love with them, you’d be surprised at how good your relationship really is. Stop focusing on the flowers you didn’t get for your birthday but remember the ones he bought you for no reason instead. Don’t compare relationships, work on your own. Stay away from relationships that are riddled with problems and drama or yours will end up the same way. When you keep company with negativity it has a way of invading your life. Your relationship is as perfect as you want it to be. Put God before the relationship and you’ll have a better understanding of what love and perfection is.

maralascottsblog Happiness, inspirational stories, Self-Love

Loving Yourself by Marala Scott

Although you’ve heard it said repeatedly, you haven’t done it yet. Most likely, you’ve forgotten how because you’re too busy taking care of others. It’s easy to get lost not only in your day but in someone else’s life and forget what’s important. Taking care of yourself is actually a better way to be a great resource for those around you. When you’re happy, you can deal with issues much better. That’s why taking time to recharge and focus is important. It’s not only about your happiness, but your health as well. Think before you raise your voice in anger, you’re hurting yourself more than you know. Take time to exercise even if walking. Indulge in a hobby that you love or find something new. Be open to innovative experiences like traveling places you’ve never been. This life came with a clean canvas. Go discover its beauty and paint your picture the way you want it. Take time to enjoy this gift called life. Don’t make excuses as to why you can’t do things for yourself instead, commit to making time for yourself because that is one way of loving yourself. 

maralascottsblog inspirational stories

How Long Will The Past Be Our Present? By Aaron Curry

Should the past have any sort of bearing on a “new” relationship? Is the past an accurate reflection of someone’s true character? And if so, do we have the right to judge someone off of their past? Once a cheater always a cheater, etc. That’s for you to determine, but here is my honest opinion.

I believe the past, although not a definitive reflection, does indeed tell a lot about someones character. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I based some of my relationship decisions upon a womans past. Is that fair?! Not necessarily, but I feel as though it has the same meaning as the saying, “You are who you associate with.” That obviously doesn’t make it right, but am I going to choose the college graduate or the high school diploma?

If someones cheated before, what’s to say they won’t cheat again? If someones lied before, no matter the magnitude of this lie, what’s to say they won’t lie to you? If someones slept with a person “very easily,” for lack of better vernacular, what’s to say if you get in an argument they won’t do that to you? So they have all of these negative occurrences, strikes or whatever you want to call it against them and then they get to you and they’re supposed to be reformed, dipped in holy water, and ready to be perfect. I don’t forget about what they’ve done that easily, I file it for later reference.

When I’m picking the teams for my NCAA bracket, I typically gage the winner of the game based upon their record; losses vs. wins. Occasionally I’ll pick an “upset,” but they have to have one heck of a reason for me to roll with them when they haven’t proven themselves entirely. That’s kind of how this works. I’m going to give you a chance, maybe, but you’re on a short leash because of your past. I might not trust you like I should or the way you want me to, so you’ll have to earn and build that.

The problem comes into play when the man or woman expects you to completely forget their past as if it never existed. They want it to be as if they didn’t do, “this and that” when all of us have some type of past, good, bad or indifferent. The catch phrase is, “That was before you so it doesn’t matter.” Yes, it does. If I robbed a bank before I met you, wouldn’t you want to know. It matters very much so. I’m all for allowing someone to have a clean slate yet the past has much relevance when it comes down to it. It doesn’t mean I won’t give you a chance but it does mean that I’ll be taking everything in and analyzing your moves, decisions and actions. I think if we consider history but not focus on it we can save ourselves a lot of wasted relationships. It allows us to make better choices in partners. It allows us to find people who are like us, not masquerading to be. If you don’t want your past to ruin or invade your future, be careful what you do, whom with, and consider the repercussions down the line. Just something to think about.

AC

maralascottsblog God, inspirational stories

I Am In Love With You By YaShica Ramsey

I am in love with you for all the times you brought me through
Your love is everlasting and that is why I walk with you
You sent your son, because you know that the enemy was not through
He tries to break me from time to time
Always you help me through
He sends them to hurt me, but you will never let that be
I am in love with you because you simply amaze me
You have loved me when I did not love myself
Knew my name when I could not pass any test
You planted me and placed me in a place where I could grow
You send mentors and teachers to show me things I will always know
You have opened doors no man can close
When I have said I have enough you have said NO daughter I want to give you more
I am in love with you, because you have a mercy and grace
I can only imagine how I will feel; on the day, I am able to see you face-to-face
Your son is my wonderful counselor and he always has my back
When the enemy tried to speak against me, he tells him to take a step back
I am in love with you, because I know I do not have to worry when I am going through
No matter if I am in the valley low or the mountain high in the sky I know your love will keep making me rise
You are the only God I know
Awesome in all Your ways
You have taught me how to love, shine and be at peace all my days
I know your love will never cease and that is why I am in love with you today
I am happy you have allowed me in the Kingdom and that is where I will always stay