BY DAVID ANDERSON

Do you know what the problem is? We can never stand up as one and unite for change. I am getting really sick and tired of this crab in a bucket mentality. As a community, we have not done enough. We have not built enough. Instead of correcting history, we have chosen the path of repeating it. I mean it is true we cannot hide from who we are but grow and learn from who we were. We cannot be afraid to let our brothers and sisters continue to separate.

As a community, we lack unity. How are we supposed to rebuild the Black Wall Street? How come it has never been remade since the tragic Tulsa race massacre that took place May 31^st and June 1^st 1921? City officials, to attack Black business owners, and residents gave the people weapons. They destroyed homes in Tulsa Oklahoma. What was once a flourishing community in Tulsa Oklahoma was reduced to nothing but campfire stories. This left a negative impact on the Black community.

Have you ever heard the phrase crabs in a bucket? This is a metaphor for people who either live in the same environment or are after specific goals. What we all get confused about is that there is enough for everyone.

I used to hate the saying “Let’s get this bag,” because it puts one trophy at the top of the pedestal. Humans are so competitive that they would rather sabotage their future as long as they beat you or finish first. This is how you burn bridges that you will have to cross again in life.

Working towards one goal usually is beneficial to each individual or as a collective (team). Every sports team makes it clear what their goals are in the pre-season. This allows coaches and players to develop a relationship that is based on trust and personal development. Each time they step out on the field or court they have their teammates’ best interest at hand. This will create chemistry, which only strengthens relationships and performance. We have to be able to depend on and trust one another. We need to learn from our mistakes and be proactive in correcting them.

As an entrepreneur, you need to be able to build strong relationships and communities. This might not be easy, but it is beneficial for you, family, business and community. As a leader you must have the ability to rally people in your community towards a cause. You have the ability to start a community organization. You possess the skills to make a change in your life, for your family and community. Don’t let opportunities pass you by. We need to learn more about our history, or it will repeat itself. We need to learn from other great cities, villages, and kingdoms.

BY ELLA BRAUN

The COVID crisis has brought a sudden transition for the world, particularly in the form of the work from the home switch. The biggest challenge, however, is that most of us are not equipped with a proper working area at home. Like everyone else, you would also want to have a dedicated office space that makes you feel productive. When it comes to creating such a home office, comfort is important. After all, you cannot expect to do your best in the workspace if you are not comfortable enough. If you are planning to create an ergonomic home office, choosing the right furniture pieces matters the most. Here are some tips to pick the best ones.

Assess the available space
Even before you start preparing a wishlist of furniture pieces, assess the available area. Not everyone has a spare room for creating a dedicated office, so space struggles are more real than you think. Measure the area and consider the essential pieces you would want to fit in. You may have to differentiate between needs and wants and skip some things if there isn’t enough room.

Consider the work hours
From the ergonomic perspective, it is important to consider the number of hours you would be working every day. For example, you can give precedence to style if you plan to use the home office for only a few hours in a day. However, comfort is absolutely essential if you have long working hours. You may even consider having a standing work desk apart from the sitting arrangement to prevent the ill-effects of prolonged sitting.

Have a budget to start with
Right now, you may be pressed for cash but a proper workspace is something that you can’t do without. Having a budget before you start shopping is a good idea. You may even look for deals like an IKEA flyer or coupon online to fit the best-branded furniture in your budget. Quality is vital when it comes to ergonomics because good brands go the extra mile to create designs that are easy on the body.

Choose pieces that fit you
If comfort is your top priority while picking furniture for your work area, you need to go the extra mile to find pieces that actually fit your body. Consider proportioned height for your chair and table if you are too tall or too short. Exploring and trying before buying is a great idea. Of course, your office furniture should look great but ease is something that you cannot ignore.

Don’t forget your personal style
Even as you look for pieces that are comfortable, don’t forget your personal style. Also, make sure that it blends with your home decor, particularly when you are creating a workspace in your living room or bedroom. Consider the aesthetic elements such as colour and design. At the same time, invest in durability and quality as well.

Although creating a home office can be easy, you need to be extra sure about ergonomics. After all, an easy space makes you feel more productive and keeps you healthy as well.

BY: COLLEEN LINDBERG

Such a question posed these days all over the place. What is happiness really?

In my opinion, it’s that time in your life where you smile and look around and go “Wow this is my life”. Does it happen every day and all day long, most likely not? That’s ok though. I really think we should aim at getting to 51% of our day there and then we can build on that.

How to do it though is the real question… Here are four tips that help me get happy every day.

1. Wake up and think about three things (or more) that you are grateful for. This really sets the tone for me and the day. It allows us to think about good things that put smiles on our faces before anything else happens. I suggest you do this before you touch your phone before you get out of bed and before you do anything else. If you have a partner, maybe you can do this together in bed before getting up. It really helps to frame the day.
2. When you feel yourself or your energy draining put on some uplifting music or an inspirational video to uplift you. Changing your state in real time is so important. It’s part of a way you can bring forth focus and motivation but also brings you happiness. Try being in a bad mood while you are dancing around to your favorite song. It’s hard to not be happy. So, find a playlist that you love and that can bring you into that kind of state.
3. Phone a friend or a family member that makes you laugh or puts a smile on your face. It might be your spouse, your kids, your BFF, whomever has a network to rely on so when you hit the slump of your day (if you do) you can reach out to people that make you laugh or happy.
4. Do things you love on a daily basis. Something that fuels your soul. It might be reading, walking, singing, working out, painting, athletics, anything really that fuels your soul.

Have this somewhere or a piece of it somewhere in your day and if not daily then definitely weekly. This will keep you in the flow of things that you want and help you to keep shifting in happy places doing them. This reminds me of the movie “Happy Gilmore” where Adam Sandler goes into his happy place to make the shots. The same analog for life, find your happy places and go to them as often as you can.

     Happiness really is a state of mind. It’s a choice that we have to keep making daily,

     hourly and sometimes by the minute. Some days it comes easy to us and other days

     it’s really hard. Setting yourself up with tools will help you shift faster. The goal is to be

     in a life that makes us happy and then we have people that get to come along on our

     happiness journey. Happiness though really does start with you. Right in your heart

     and at the core of you, find it for yourself…. ☺