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Tag Archives: words

New Normal

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Posted by Irene Ephraim in Motivational & Intentional, Thoughts in motion

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action, Daily, Global, Lockdown, New Normal, Patterns, Quarantine, words, World

Quarantine-ning in Paris

 

 

 

In this new normal that the world is currently living in, something to remember as we connect more with ourselves, with others, and possibly blasts from the past is this:

Words deceive, patterns do not. Look alive (Also stay alive).

xo

A Blessing or a Curse?

11 Monday Feb 2019

Posted by Irene Ephraim in Life, Manifest

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Blessing, Goal, happiness, joy, Law of Attraction, Lifestyle Writer, Love, Manifest, Mind, Monday Motivation, New week, Pain, perception, Reality, Speak, The Secret, Thoughts, vision, words

facetune_08-02-2019-18-32-36-1It’s been a little quiet over here and I’m starting to think that I’m talking to myself and I don’t know how to feel about that. Having said that, I am choosing to believe that I am talking to millions of you. Yes you heard, millions of you.

Last week was rough for many people myself included. All sorts of weird and painful things were happening, but if you’re reading this it’s not too late to turn things around.

It’s a new week and whatever happened last week is now in the past and no longer happening, so what would you like to do next? You can choose to hold onto it OR let go and keep sowing great things now for your future.

One way to turn things around instantly, which you can do right away, is to shift your perception on your reality.

Can it feel fake at first? Yup, but with persistence it will feel normal and this will alter your reality.

For example, many people see paying bills as a chore and a pain instead of gift that affords them the lifestyle they live. Rather than bemoan it, say thank you every time you pay an expense, because you’re effectively being grateful for the things you get to experience everyday that once upon a time was but a dream. You remember what it felt like to not have the money to pay that bill and you had to ask someone for it, well now you don’t have to. That’s a blessing.

Shifting your focus onto what is good about a situation will always bear better fruit than exacerbating an already negative situation.

Pick one thing you want to feel different about and change the story you’ve made about it. Your mind is something you can control and that’s a super power. Use it wisely, be intentional for your good and that of others.

Speaking of which: you will have a great week, receive wonderful news and enjoy being alive with your loved ones 🙂

Xo

First Impressions

27 Thursday Dec 2018

Posted by Irene Ephraim in Lessons Learnt, Life, Thoughts in motion

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2019, belief, change, fear, First Impression, Guide, Introduction, Love, new year, Patience, power, Relationships, Tongue, words

img_7832Since being away I have been plagued with the tales that I have heard about this country as a child. Sometimes I’m uneasy because of it. I have lived here and loved it but that part, that part never went away.

I can’t seem to shake of those stories that I heard and watched on TV. It hasn’t mattered much that I have never seen proof to support those claims, yet it still invades my mind as if I have lived it. It has affected my experience here and this is simply down to how they introduced the culture to me at age 5 on my first visit.

However, I am challenging those perspectives, as I realise how stupid those beliefs are.

Imagine that?! The things I was shown and told has shaped my thoughts for 26 years! If that’s not a reason to be mindful of first impressions I don’t know what is.

And yes whilst it’s possible to change someone view, but it’s seldom easy to do so. 

The New Year is 5 days away and I’m sure some of us have a few changes we’d like to make. As you make them, please consider how you speak of a thing or person as it has the potential to have a lasting impression that may never shift. Be thoughtful about the words you speak and consider the impact it could have.

Your words are powerful, use them wisely and make the first impression count.

Xo

This Is the Life We Spoke Of

27 Thursday Sep 2018

Posted by Irene Ephraim in Life, More Action, Motivation, Motivational & Intentional

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action, Body, Direction, Existence, GPS, health, Instruct, life, lifestyle, Manifest, Mind, power, Speak, The Secret, vision, words

This is the life we spoke of. Don’t believe me?

How many times have you said I’m broke?

How many times have you said I hate my job?

How many times have you said My life is shit?

How many times have you said No one loves me?

How many times have you said I’ll never make it?

How many times have you said I don’t like my body?

How many times have you said I’m not good enough?

How many times have you said I don’t believe in myself?

How many times have you said I can’t do_________?

Still think you’re not living the life you spoke of?

Think of your words as your Sat Nav; the course of your life can only go where you tell it to.

Xo

 

SShhh Don’t Talk About It

29 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by Irene Ephraim in Experiences, Travel

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action, Experiences, Goals, inspire, Malta, Manifest, Mindset, Monday Motivation, Non-fiction, Self-help, Speaker, success, Thoughts, travel, words, Work, writer

I just got back from a solo trip to Malta. If you have ever tried to organise a trip away with others you’ll know how incredibly frustrating it can be. After months of trying to get it together with others, I scrapped those efforts and said right I’m going alone! I didn’t tell anyone until it was all booked. It was exactly what I needed. It enhanced my confidence in myself, that I can do it alone and although it’d be nice to have a companion, I am certainly enough.

Want to do something? Do it. Don’t allow the perfect time, thing or person prevent you from making that move. I have learnt then when you go ahead, the people that are for you will come to you in due time. Whilst in Malta, a friend in London told me he used to live there and that he can put me in contact with a friend of his to take me out and that’s exactly what happened. Within a few hours I was out exploring their night life.

Another thing to do or not do in this case, is talk about it. We all know what it feels like to talk about something and it not materialise, it’s embarrassing. I’m now operating on a strictly need to know basis, not purely because of the embarrassment, but what it does is allow me to work in private without the influence of others that ‘don’t get it’. A lot of the time all talking about it does is waste energy that you really could be using to actually do it. If you have to talk about it, speak about it to people who have done it or are doing it. You have to constantly keep yourself in alignment with the thing that you’re doing. You cannot afford to speak to those who are on a completely different path, because believe it or not they have the power to derail you. Would an architect speak to yoga instructor about their project? No, unless it’s about how to practice mediation with exercise then Bobs your uncle. Now, that’s not to say they can’t provide great insights, it’s just a ground you have to tread VERY lightly-assess them by their fruits.

So, nurture your goals in private and diligently, protect your mind, get in alignment and surround yourself with people doing the work and watch your life change.

Xo

Petty Bitter Betty

08 Thursday Dec 2016

Posted by Irene Ephraim in Experiences, Life, Thoughts in motion

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Appreciation, Gratitude, Love, Negative, perspective, Positive, Powerful, Thoughts become things, words

We are wired wrong.

There are some things that people are incredibly sensitive about, one of them is birthdays. I think nearly everyone can relate to this.

Mine is coming up and I had sent out invitations last night. Of course, with these things you get an onslaught of ‘I can’t make it’, ‘Sorry’, ‘I have a previous engagement’, blah blah blah! It’s to be expected. However it still doesn’t stop you from being in your feelings.

This was me yesterday, I began to think and feel negative about the fact that some of the invitees could not make it. I thought about the many, many, many times I had shown up for them in different ways and felt slighted that the efforts I make aren’t always reciprocated. This train of thought, coupled with my own other insecurities spell disaster. I even considered from this point onwards, not showing up for people and reducing the ways that I over extend and often times inconvenience myself to support these people. But then I caught myself, pressed pause and checked my thoughts.

This was the conversation I was having in my head and all within a few minutes might I add-Could you imagine, if I allowed this dialogue to continue for hours, days, months? I’d be a lil’ menace and a petty bitter betty. Thankfully, the good voice always reigns supreme so it never wins, but I have had some close calls.

It dawned on me that I was paying way too much unnecessary attention to all the no’s and not valuing and appreciating all the yeses and there were yeses. What the hell is wrong me?!

I know I am not the only one whose wiring is configured to magnify and exacerbate the negatives rather than promote and celebrate the wonderful positives. We have unfortunately been conditioned this way and it serves as our go-to whenever we face something we don’t particularly like and in some cases even when the circumstances are favourable, we find something to be upset about. This disposition is a huge blessing and gratitude blocker too.

It made me realize how deep rooted negative thinking can be and how it shows up even in the small things. It is not only damaging to you, but to the people around you. It’s a condition that needs treatment immediately effectively otherwise it may cause depression, isolation, or worse, death. And I am not kidding either.

It’s this kind of thinking that can eventually lead people to wanting to end it all, or find a destructive vice, like drugs, sex, self-harm, eating disorders and the like. So please don’t take it lightly, for your own good, do something about it.

I am often checking myself and filtering the thoughts that pass through my head, taking the ones that will serve me and ditching the ones that will not, although I am not always successful in respect of the latter, yet, still, I try.

I have to say something else that I don’t think a lot of people are aware of and it’s this: Not every thought that comes to mind is yours or is for you. Sometimes there are thoughts in the ether looking for a mind to stick to (which is why words are powerful, but that’s a topic for another day). There are times I have thoughts and I think ‘hold up, that’s not of me’ and immediately reject it.

Give it a shot, choose to be conscious of your thoughts, even the seemingly insignificant ones and examine if they are helping or destroying you.

As a very AA colloquial saying goes, ‘Check yourself, before you wreck yourself’.

Oh, and don’t be a PBB, it’s not a good look 🙂

XO

Ps You know how I say I am dramatic right?…let me give you a better idea, King Julien IS my spirit animal (He gets me Lol!), nuff said.

Pps The urge to be petty always exists but then again so does Karma and that trumps petty so…erm…think about that.

Write Your Own Autobiography

28 Thursday May 2015

Posted by Irene Ephraim in Dreams, Life

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author, autobiography, children, creative, imagination, inspire, JK Rowling, story, wikipedia, words, write

On Tuesday this week, I was speaking to a friend over the phone and I jokingly said ‘create a Wikipedia page on me, I’ll tell you what to write’ who says that?! (I do lol). He responded ‘Why don’t you just do one yourself? Anyone can do one’ errh because it’s corny! Who creates their OWN Wikipedia page, that’s like creating your own Instagram fan page, yet you have no following, LOSER! Or are they?

I was up uber early this morning, and I came across an article on Jessica Alba’s success and off the cuff (whilst sharing it with a friend), I thought this is how I want an article/(auto)biography of me to look like, and began writing one in text form to my friend. Words cannot articulate well enough how doing that exercise made me feel. I went from not wanting to get up from bed, to being successful and well accomplished. There wasn’t a fibre in my body that didn’t believe it to be true (or that it will be). My attitude and perspective instantly transformed.

As a child, you are told to use your imagination and be as creative as you like. As you grow older you are taught the opposite-the irony. It suddenly becomes ‘irresponsible’ to be that way and you have to ‘grow up’.

Here’s something to think about, anyone who has ever created something valuable or lived the life they dreamed of, was once seen as ridiculous to one person or many. Their imagination and outlandish behaviour pushed them towards creating masterpieces. Think of one person you admire, and read their story, every single one has encountered a unique set of challenges and thrived notwithstanding. Take JK Rowling for example, divorcee, single mum, on welfare, from the onset, society would dictate that the odds are heavily stacked against her, in spite of this, Harry Potter was born. Need I say more?

I implore you this morning to be as ludicrous as you like with what you want, create the life you want to live, on your terms and start by writing YOUR OWN AUTO/BIOGRAPHY. It is a powerful activity and as we know, thoughts become things, and words are like springs, once spoken, they are called into action.

Now I don’t know if I’m going to run along and create a Wikipedia page (although if you fancy the job, drop me a message-just kidding!) what I will re-emphasise is to write your story how you want it be and see what it does for you. Don’t be dictated to by society’s measures, you cannot break the mould by succumbing to its wills.

I’ll share a bit of what I wrote to my friend this morning, if you laugh (grrrr), actually I don’t care if you do :).

“Fiercely independent and determined, she sought the best out of life and would stop at nothing to get it, a quality bestowed upon her by her mother. Giving up was never an option. As a graduate she faced many adversities and this incited the desire to inspire others like her, to do and be better. With her experience and wisdom, she wrote her first book. It has sold over 1 million copies internationally, been translated in over 15 languages and is still a best seller 3 years after its release. A wife, mother, business tycoon, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, author and performer, Irene believes there isn’t anything that is unattainable. With all her accomplishments, it begs the question how does she do it all?”

Like they say if your dreams don’t frighten you, then they aren’t big enough!  My friends response to my text this morning ‘Oh Irene, you’re like a big kid’ I guess that means I’m on the right track 😉 .

Words, Weapons Of Mass Destruction?

11 Monday May 2015

Posted by Irene Ephraim in Lessons Learnt, Life

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arsenal, build, decision, destroy, language, power, weapon, wise, words

Hope you had a great weekend, mine was fairly busy but good all the same!

So in continuing on with the 1 post for the next 7 days (which by default excluded the weekend 🙂 )here is todays preamble.

I had a pretty crap morning and I don’t know about you but sometimes when things don’t go accordingly, I think about EVERYTHING that isn’t right (Very bad habit). This naturally puts you in a negative space, well this was me earlier on. My mind was racing and I was inducing self inflicted stress. The mind is a powerful entity, that ironically must be minded. I knew I had to get out of this funk and quickly, today’s solution was much needed rest.

Protect what goes in and out of your mind and through your mouth. One thing I have learnt and occasionally the hard way is that the saying ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me’ is an absolute fallacy lol. Occasionally I have been the culprit, but more often than not the recipient. It’s not restricted to what you say to someone or what is said to you, but also what you tell/call yourself.

‘You’re too fat, you’re too skinny, you’re ugly, you’re a failure, you’ll never make it, you’re too dark, your nose is big, your sibling is better than you, no one will ever want you’ and so on. We’ve probably heard some of these words and said some whether in jest or seriously and not known of the effects they have on the individual for many years after.

I’m pretty sure we can all remember that one thing someone said to us that has shaped us today, either positively or negatively, that we have never forgotten. See how powerful words are?

I remember constantly being told “You’re so dark” in a tone that revealed their contempt, dark usually inferred unattractive . Being quiet young at the time, I didn’t fully understand it, but as I got older, the picture was clear, light was right and dark wasn’t. Fortunately, this was one thing that didn’t manage to stick, although there were many close calls. The sad part is that these people are unaware of the aftermath of their words and will never know.

Callous words are like gum under a table, it sticks, becomes hardened and turns black over time. There’s a reason gum shouldn’t be swallowed…

Of course, you cannot always know what someone may find offensive, all you can do is be conscientious of the words you utter, as they’re creating realities. 

Words influence, words build, words destroy, so use them discerningly. That’s not to say you can no longer be honest, by all means be honest , but choose your arsenal carefully.

The next time you have something to say think to yourself, stumbling block or building block? Let that inform your decision.

Why Didn’t You Warn Me?!

Why Didn't You Warn Me?!

Why Didn't You Warn Me?! is a podcast speaking on the things you should know, but don't. The things you typically find out after the fact, and it's sometimes too late. Fear not, Why Didn't You Warn Me?! with Irene aka Lipstick, will give you the 411 through story-telling, conversations, and refreshing perspectives.

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