THE LIFE-CHALLENGE SERIES: PRACTICE MAKES YOU A WINNER

This post is now available at http://honorthespirit.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-life-challenge-series-practice.html

DAMAGED BUT WORTH SALVAGING

Sometimes, you're too far gone emotionally to see your worth, your beauty, your value in the world, to see a way out of your suffering. Sometimes, it takes someone else to be compassionate enough to not only see past your flawed layers but also to help you see past them so you can move forward with uplifting yourself. Nobody gets through this life without others' encouragement. You're lying if you say you've made it through every tough situation all by yourself, with no mental or physical assistance. Too much standing around judging and watching people suffer and not enough helping leads to lost souls ... and lost lives.

Is this your story or the story of someone you know? Check out the video below. Join the Anti-Suffering Movement. Challenge your focal point. No judgment where suffering is concerned.

Sonnet #6 for February

NEARSIGHTED

Come utilize my eyes as telescope

Revel in this grandiose close-up view

Spectacular scene, my mission’s to rope

You into perceiving yourself anew

Insight informs me that you’ve been misled

By the direction of their detoured thought  

Making you question your breathtaking stead

Time to excavate the folly they taught

Modify lens, aggrandize your luster

Here comes the climactic part of the show

My vantage point be that belief buster

Force you to see what you should long ago

Transform the strength of your vista from here

Delusions about your worth disappear

Copyright 2014

Charlene E. Green

A Review Worth Sharing

Please check out this in-depth review of my book, Building Faith and Character Through Life Challenges (companion to my Life Challenge Consultation service). I really appreciate people who take the time to not only read my work, but also put such detailed effort into their thoughts about it afterward.


"Within the genre of "self-help" books (I've read a few!), Charlene E. Green's newly published Building Faith and Character Through Life Challenges is the most profound and practical literary resource I have encountered. It is a great read--clear, logical, and full of personal experiences to support the guidelines Ms. Green has discovered/uncovered---applicable to everyone. Whether the reader be agnostic, atheist, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist etc. etc.---something will resonate with that seeking person and make his/her journey more enlightened.

Ms. Green touches the core of everyday human experiences-- interpersonal conflicts, physical and mental illness, financial distress. Yes, this book offers a do-able guideline, a way to change one's thought processes and behavior habits so seemingly unsolvable situations become untangled.

Using problems, sufferings, desires as stepping stones toward enlightenment (as in living with joy, wisdom, compassion and courage), Ms. Green provides a method--using personal, honest proof, filled with humor scenes from her nitty-gritty life experiences.

This book is for the strivers--the seekers of effective and healthy ways to overcome life's challenges.

The concept of expanding one's consciousness to include others is an essential factor in Ms. Green's prescription to happiness.

From Charlene Green's book:
'Life-challenge triumphs are not just for us to benefit from; they're for us to use to help others overcome their obstacles.'"

Dianne Bye, MA in Performing Arts, Syracuse University
Los Angeles Unified School District Theatre Arts Teacher (grades pre-k-12)

To order your copy, please visit www.hustledivaspeaks.com/pages/purchase.aspx
Need a little more info before you order? Click here. 

Haiku #19 for January

EPIDEMIC

Ramen for dinner

Jordans on kids’ feet, warped codes

taught to future guides

Copyright 2014

Charlene E. Green

Thanks for reading! Please continue to support my work by viewing my tour campaign, contributing to my cause, and sharing the campaign link with your networks! https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/ecUob/ab/0255N5 Thank you in advance!

THESE NUGGETS ARE HEALTHY TO CONSUME

                    

Take time out today and every day for some healthy "spiritual snacks." You owe it to yourself! Charlene E. Green has finally compiled her array of short but potent bits of wisdom that are sure to help keep you grounded emotionally and fueled with the inspiration needed to face and hurdle life's daily challenges. Snack on them lightly, or just go ahead and consume gluttonously! You can never overindulge in positivity! And from every page that's exactly what you'll be fed. But FYI: Sharing is suggested.

 

$10.00

SNACK HERE

Check out some of the reviews!

By the way ... LOVED Wisdom Nuggets! So much to talk about. Going to read again and again. ~Jacqueline Lee

Received my copy of Wisdom Nuggets and just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! Really, everyone needs a copy of this. ~Kay Mainaga

Charlene, Tamika gave me a copy of your book Wisdom Nuggets and it is great!!! I brought it to work and shared it with my co-worker and he loved it!! Just wanted to let you know I have some of your sayings on my wall by my desk at work. ~Jacqueline Lacy

I totally enjoyed Wisdom Nuggets. I will carry some of your advise with me from day to day. Keep up the good work. ~L. Jackson

OMGEEE!!! You're my SHERO!!!! I pulled Wisdom Nuggets out last night and got to highlighting!!! I now carry it w/me EVERYWHERE I go to have consistent, in-reach guidance/encouragement/motivation. I'm using it as a resource daily! ~Tamika Byrd

Wisdom Nuggets is absolutely awesome. I find myself sitting in awe a lot of the time after reading a section because it just hits so hard into my life. Thank you for putting the book together and making it such an inspirational tool for people ... men and women. ~Lenora Snyder

For more information about my work and other purchasing options, please visit www.hustledivaspeaks.com

THE BEST MAN WAS THE BEST THING FOR ME

I cannot WAIT to see The Best Man Holiday because ...

In 1999, when The Best Man came out, I had just started writing my first huge literary endeavor, a movie script called Love's Train. It was during the writing of that project that I knew my life's mission was to be a writer. But FIRST, I had to finish the script. The night I went to see The Best Man, I remember thinking it was such a great movie with sharp, witty dialogue and well-rounded characters, so much so that my spirit deflated with each passing scene. I kept thinking, "What am I DOING trying to write a movie script?! I can't write stuff like THIS! I'm not good enough. Eff it. I'm not gonna finish it." I went home feeling like crap, and I promptly "ended" that project. I moped, chastised myself for not having the skills to write brilliantly, and beat myself down mentally for being "less than" in so many ways. But when your calling is awakened, no amount of self-slander will keep you from doing it, no matter how hard you try to walk away.

Three weeks later, after the agony of NOT working on my script had kicked my ass, I reluctantly got up, dusted myself off emotionally, and decided to take another stab at it, though I couldn't imagine what kind of greatness I was gonna come up with. So I got back on it, deflated and all. I dug deep into my life to pull out what I wanted to be a great story. As I wrote, and very well, I might add, I felt it ... that indescribable surge of "this-is-IT," and all of a sudden my world changed. I knew as I typed those scenes that writing, the thing I had been doing all my life, was what I was born to do professionally. It was the most gorgeous a-ha moment I've ever experienced. One month later, I finished Love's Train, and I was DAMN proud of myself and the script! I felt like I had actually done what Malcolm D. Lee did in The Best Man, but in my own way, one that was just as good as his.

That script is what started my journey, the thing that made me pursue moving to L.A. I shared it with my friends and family, shopped it to production companies, and once I was in L.A., I almost had a couple of deals. Even though they fell through, it was okay because by then, I had already written my first novel, ONE MAN'S TREASURE, and I knew after THAT masterpiece that there would be no more self-denigration or questioning of my mission. I still intend to make that movie. When the time is right, it'll all fall into place. In the meantime, I'm grateful for being in that theater in October of '99, because I was challenged to step up my game before I was barely out the gate. And I truly did. I'll be front & center at The Best Man Holiday, with a completely different mindset, and much appreciation for having the opportunity to witness a second go-'round of the movie and characters that ALMOST made me quit my most important career-building project.

***Speaking of projects ... Please continue to support my work by viewing my tour campaign, contributing to my cause, and sharing the campaign link with your networks! https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/ecUob/ab/0255N5  Thank you in advance!

KILL SUICIDE: STAY ALIVE AND FIGHT!

My self-transformation poetry is meant to shake you up, make you look at your life honestly, make you face yourself ... and wanna strive to be better. It's also meant to do the same for ME. I may write like I'm only talking to YOU, but when I pen these poems, the messages are just as much for me to heed. I have to do my own work every day on my life, too. This is no holier-than-thou mission I'm on. It's me and all of you, working together to change for the best.

In December 2010, I was suffering badly, emotionally. It was to the point where I felt I was drowning in my own misery. I hated the feeling, and I wanted an out. I knew a woman (still know her) who was also struggling. She owned a cafe I visited frequently. We would have long talks, and she would often tell me about the deep issues she was dealing with and I would offer encouragement. I decided to get out of myself and go down to her store to check on her to take my mind off my problem. When I arrived and asked how she was, she told me that she wanted to kill herself the night before. Not only that, but she said she saw herself doing it and felt GOOD about it. This stunned me at my core. I was actually speechless. I had heard [of] people saying they wanted to kill themselves, but no one had ever said it to ME, and I had NEVER heard anyone say they saw the action and felt good about it. I was truly shaken on a level I had never been. Fortunately, she moved past that moment and came to work that day, though I apologize that I can't remember what she said made her decide to stay alive. What I do know is this: Her comment disturbed me so deeply that when I left 2 hours later, my soul ached for her and everyone who's ever felt like her. That conversation made me reassess my own life and problems and how I was handling them. I had been in distress, but [that time] I didn't wanna kill myself, and I felt fortunate. But I suddenly realized how important it is for us to put our own suffering aside, come out of our shell, and embrace other people. You never know where they are in THEIR suffering, and hearing their story may change the way you view YOURS.

Later that night, as I was still flooded with angst about her, and about my own issues, I got angry about how we sometimes treat ourselves, the ways we don't protect ourselves, the situations we allow ourselves to be in because we haven't learned to love ourselves enough to steer clear of them. And then "Zookeeper" spilled out of me with fervor. In this poem, I was talking to her, myself, and everyone else out there who has ever carried burdens so heavy that they feel they're gonna break at any moment, but because of their lack of self-esteem, and often the heaviness of whatever mental health issue they may be struggling with, they sometimes can't push themselves to fight for their happiness. 

I still revisit this poem regularly, to check in with myself, to make sure I'm fighting. Cuz sometimes ... that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel just doesn't seem to be there. The darkness feels like a ruthless, weighted pillow suffocating my soul. I, too, have experienced that awful feeling of there not being any hope of getting to "the light"—of not even believing that it existed—and consequently, I've felt hopeless to go on. Thank goodness I pushed through those times.

Please listen to the poem, and then please share this post with others who are suffering. This self-work is serious. It's necessary. People need it. And I wanna encourage as many as I can to dive in and swim to the light.

Click link to listen.

ZOOKEEPER 

IT'S TOUR TIME!

Hello, everyone! It's been a while since my last post, but I've been busy creating, as usual! The highlight of my career right now is the launching of my new tour campaign, The Human Revolution Project.

Since 2010, I've known that I would eventually take my poetry on the road, but it wasn't until the end of that year that the idea for the theme of the tour came to me. I was scheduled to be a featured poet at a big event, and I was allotted a 30-minute set, which was the longest I had been offered at that time. As I was putting my set list together, I noticed an important theme among the poems I had chosen: self-esteem, self-reflection, self-improvement. In my thinking regularly about touring, the question was always what kind of tour it would be. I knew I needed it to have structure and deliver a truly valuable experience and message for my audience; I didn't just wanna bounce from place to place doing poetry randomly, simply because I could. As I looked at my set list, it dawned on me that the structure for my impending tour had developed all on its own. I had come into a full mission in spoken word that I hadn't planned on, and now it was perfect for what I intended to accomplish in the way of using my words to help people grow.

Once the idea took form, my goal was then to expand on it and really make it something marketable. Since that time, I've added many more self-transformation-themed poems to the pot, and with countless hours of their rehearsal, presenting them at open mics weekly, showcasing them at events monthly, and getting constant positive feedback on their subject matter and how they move the listeners, I know it's time to get out there and do my work on the largest, most profound level possible. Won't you help me make that happen?

Below is the link to my campaign, which contains more details about the tour, samples of some of the poems I'll be featuring, and the many ways you can contribute. Thank you in advance for your support! Please also share this post and/or the campaign link with your networks. I'll see YOU in YOUR state, soon!

THE HUMAN REVOLUTION PROJECT TOUR

THE B-SIDE

It’s more than
“Are you okay?”
“Do you need anything?”
“I’m here if you need to talk.”

Sometimes Compassion’s face looks distorted
Like it’s on backwards
Sometimes it’s dressed like a rebel
Looks a bit roughneck
Hard on the eyes
Doesn’t match up to its
Common dictionary definition
Compassion:
Deep awareness of the suffering of another
Coupled with the wish to relieve it
Compassion:
Kindness
Care
Mercy

Sometimes Compassion
Is tight-lipped
Uncomfortable silence
Unreturned calls
And cancelled plans
Doesn’t behave
The way we think it should
Acts coldhearted
Throws you
A daggered glare
Instead of an answer
Keeps its distance
In the face of incompatibility
Walks out mid-argument
A volcano erupting
In its throat
Doesn’t return till
The ashes have cooled
And you call it selfish
Say it was rude
Not to stay and listen
Unaware of the mercy
Your own ears were delivered
The care with which
Your feelings were handled
The suffering
You were spared
It was in your corner
Working on your behalf

This kind of Compassion
Is that horse pill
You need to take
But loathe swallowing
Does more good than harm
Saves your ego
A bull-fight trampling
Keeps your heart
From becoming a wrecking ball
Demolishing your chest cavity
Collapsing your lungs
Bursting the pipes in your eyes
Sometimes
Everything Compassion does
That you hate
Protects you from
Everything you can’t handle
Don’t want
Didn’t even know
Was coming your way
Combat your soul wouldn’t survive

This Compassion
Doesn’t always come bearing
The gift of sweet words
Wrapped in humble apologies
It comes bearing the bare minimum
To make it through
Make it right
Keep it clean

Keep it safe

It isn’t always prepared for confrontation
It needs time and space
To assess
Regroup
Decide how to come correct

Whether to come back at all

Compassion’s alternate tune
Is unfamiliar
It plays the B-side
Not the hit single we love
But the one we don’t wanna hear
The side that skips
The beat of pretty
Doesn't make us dance
The one we tune out
Turn off

The unsung hero


Copyright 2013
Charlene E. Green
From my book My Sentiments Exactly
Purchase at http://www.hustledivaspeaks.com

THIS BOOK HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

My book Building Faith and Character Through Life Challenges is the foundation for my Life Challenge Consulting service (learn more about that HERE), but I highly recommend that it be utilized on its own, as well as with the service.

At its core are twelve stories (here's a sample), that highlight lessons I've learned, growth I've experienced; and how to use prayer, faith, and wisdom to navigate through our challenges. My hope is that the stories will inspire readers to implement healthy ways of moving through day-to-day life challenges, as well as those that are huge and really rock them to the core. In addition, there are some other valuable elements included that round everything out nicely, so you'll be spiritually full.

What I think makes this book special is that it's not written for people with specific religious or philosophical beliefs; it's for everyone. I've even said atheists can make good use of it. I've compiled the stories in such a way that I feel it really does classify as a "one-stop shop" for all beliefs. It's also short and to the point, so you can get in and out quickly but leave with a lot of perspectives to put into action.

Here are a couple of reviews:

"At the intersect of vulnerability through personal openness, compassion and encouragement, Charlene hits the mark with Building Faith and Character Through Life Challenges. In a society where microwaved results are quickly sought after, her book is a gentle, yet firm reminder that there is so much inner work to delve into, and how a focused and optimistic mindset can sustain us through hardships, yet draw the goodness of life to us. This book speaks to anyone who stands (firm or wavering) in their own faith and spiritual system, and sincerely encourages us all to lean further into it, in order to live fully and richly in our personal journeys." ~Shay Ensley, Author, Artist, Entrepreneur

"Within the genre of "self-help" books (I've read a few!), Charlene E. Green's newly published Building Faith and Character Through Life Challenges is the most profound and practical literary resource I have encountered. It is a great read--clear, logical, and full of personal experiences to support the guidelines Ms. Green has discovered/uncovered, applicable to everyone. Whether the reader be agnostic, atheist, Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist etc. etc.—something will resonate with that seeking person and make his/her journey more enlightened.

Ms. Green touches the core of everyday human experiences: interpersonal conflicts, physical and mental illness, financial distress. Yes, this book offers a doable guideline, a way to change one's thought processes and behavior habits so seemingly unsolvable situations become untangled.

Using problems, sufferings, desires as stepping stones toward enlightenment (as in living with joy, wisdom, compassion and courage), Ms. Green provides a method—using personal, honest proof, filled with humor scenes from her nitty-gritty life experiences.

This book is for the strivers--the seekers of effective and healthy ways to overcome life's challenges."

~Dianne Bye, Los Angeles Unified School District Theatre Arts Teacher (grades pre-k-12)

I look forward to having you all partake. You may order directly from here, using the link below; or, you may order from my site HERE, where you can peruse my other products.

        

                              
                                     $10.00

PROFILE

Maybe

it’s not always time for

Basketball Wives

True Blood

Dancing with the Stars

or the 11 o’clock news

not always time

to click “Like”

become entrenched in a

72-comment conversation

on Facebook

to debate & protest

upload risqué

bathroom-mirror pics

or flood the News Feed

with virtual celebration

about Kobe’s 17th

3-pointer tonight

When’s the last time

you debated the deception

your head has you believing?

got you wedged in relentless

unsavory life patterns

questioning your sanity

spinning in a splintered cycle

Maybe

it’s time to ask “why”

of your substandard conditions

protest your shortage of answers

ponder your own fate

lament less for others

not that they aren’t important

but if you deplete

your energy on them

what's left for you?

Or maybe that’s your point

Maybe

it’s time to visit

with your shadow

find out how it feels

about trailing behind you

in your eternal state of flux

ask if it’s tired

of watching you stumble

and being dragged along

on your rutted journey

apologize for wild-goose chases

for not giving better directions

invite it to lead for a bit

so you can

rewire your GPS

Maybe

it’s time to watch

your reality show

it’s on right now

all day

the real you

unstaged

in need of your dominance

but you’re on mute

cuz you’re bored

confused about the plot

afraid of the conclusion

Maybe

it’s time to “Like”

your own interests & opinions

comment on your behavior

upload mental pics

of your ambitions in fruition

unfriend your ego’s drivel

friend your higher self instead

star in your own life

out-perform yourself

make your shadow proud

to have you as its leader

Maybe

it’s time

to update your profile

offline

Copyright 2012

Charlene E. Green