Tag Archives: Self-esteem

Elie Saab Fall 2014 RTW Collection

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Elie Saab’s Fall collection was an absolute thing of jewel toned beauty. Burgundy, teal, dark moody florals, black lace, sequins, and the most sophisticated shade of mauve blended seamlessly together in a parade of deeply cut pleated maxis, smartly tailored trousers, and extravagant furs.

Dégradé colors shifts popped against the otherwise completely color-blocked collection. Enjoy!!

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Credit: Style Pantry

Proof of God: 11 Things That Prove God Really Exists

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Often, and thankfully, I am researching inspirational writings that propel me and encourage me in my everyday life. Sometimes, this inspiration comes in a great one-on-one conversation with a friend; sometimes I happen by the History Channel or PBS and find something there so fascinating that I’m drawn to the message in its entirety; sometimes the inspiration comes from a message at church or even a training class at work. Regardless, I am seeking greater understanding of how I fit in the world.

A fellow blogger was recently that inspiration. It is no accident that this writer fell on my radar with the exact message that I needed. On this day, it is on purpose that I share it with you.

Posted on November 25, 2013 by urantiawatch

Not long ago I ran across an scientific news article posted describing several different theories on how the universe came to be. The most common theory we have right now is of course, The Big Bang Theory, which that states all energy and mass emerged from one explosion some 14 billion years ago and ever since, our universe has been expanding outward, kind of like a huge explosion still in progress.

People of faith have a major issue with this theory, and any other theory that does not allow for Intelligent Design, or God as having a hand in the creation of the universe.
The mainstream scientific attitude is that energy is inherent and there is no proof of “a divine plan,” at least one that can be proven scientifically, and this is why so many scientists negate the notion of God or a higher power having anything to do with the appearance of our universe or anything in it.

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Our first priority, then, is to define exactly what GOD is.

I would submit this concept: God is the first thing that has always existed and he is the source and origin of all things pertaining to mind, matter and spirit. Let us agree then, that God is at least these things. Assuming we have some consensus on the nature of God as I have just described, now let me present to you the following eleven absolutes, or constants that clearly show substantive evidence that just such a creator does exist.

1. Gravity. Gravity is a seemingly inherent force that bonds all things together; an invisible force that pulls objects closer, holds them in place and through this force materials remain intact, orderly and stable. If physical life was truly random, the display of order and equilibrium as it is shown in the laws of gravity would not be present. Whatever “creates” gravity is a force we simply cannot comprehend.

For human beings to attribute this great and unifying force to random causation, to assume gravity is simply inherent in the universe does not satisfactorily explain its origins, what is the source of gravity. Gravity therefore, displays order on the physical level and order is the opposite of randomness.

2. Pattern. There are patterns everywhere, on leaves, on landscapes, in mathematics and music; we see patterns and we recognize connected events and sequences. Pattern is the opposite of non-pattern, therefore pattern must be intentional. If the universe is random, pattern would not exist. Our ability to recognize pattern would also not exist. Pattern proves that whatever God is, pattern comes from God who must be the original pattern.

3. Order. It is a biological fact that when a cell is disrupted, enzymes are produced and healing agents immobilize to heal the injured cell. When a beehive is knocked down or destroyed, the hive instinctively works collectively to rebuild a new home or nest; when an ant colony is destroyed, its inhabitants work collectively to rebuild a new home. When a hurricane destroys a village or a community, there is collective unity, even on an instinctual level, to rebuild and bring order to chaos.

All life seems to operate towards an orderly fashion. Order, like pattern, implies design on some basic universal level, and design implies volitional of will: intent, a decision is made that initiates a pattern as well as an order to things physical. Because minds at all levels respond to and seek order, God must be the source of the desire to achieve order (or perfection, as in ”Be you perfect, even as I am Perfect”).

4. Evolution. I believe evolution abundantly proves life is intelligently designed and is progressive – it’s get better as time goes on, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t survive as a species. For so long Creationists and Evolutionist have been arguing over the merits of evolution as being accidental or purposeful. Was man (or life) made by God or was it purely a biological process that accidentally occurred?

I would state that evolution was the method God used to bring man into existence; it was the plan from the start. All of life on this world seems to have evolved from simple to the complex, as if it was the original plan for complex creatures like us to be born to, so that we could take our world to even more complex (or spiritual) levels of existence. Even in our own individual lives do we evolve from an infant to child to an adult and so on; our minds learn, our thoughts improve and real truth is discovered along the way, meanings are explored, values are realized.

Evolution clearly shows progression, and progression is proof of intentional design, therefore I believe evolution actually proves there is a God of Action.

5. Mind. Mind acts independent of physical reality. Mind can choose to go left or right, mind can choose to build or destroy. If all energy in the universe has a source, then Mind must also have a source. Mind is also non-material. Science may explain that the process of thinking as physical, but the volition to act, the desire to choose is not explained by mere electrochemical impulses. When we choose we are enacting a spontaneous idea that did not exist before. Mind uses a process whereas knowledge is assimilated and becomes the framework of reality; it also operates on a “circuit” where other minds can join in and connect with one-another through the mutual understanding of concepts. Language is the format, but mutual recognition of symbols is a non-material, volitional activity, it is chosen and not just a reflex-reaction to stimuli. If mind is universal, then it too must have had an original source. I believe God is the source and pattern of all minds, which is why we can commune with God through mind.

6. Personality. If we agree that all things in the universe come from one original source, then personality must also have a first and original source. But what is personality? Personality is a self-conscious being who knows and is also known. Human beings are really the most advanced of all personalities in the animal kingdom. Lower mammals likes dogs and cats know and can be known, but communication ability is extremely limited. The further down you go in the scale of life, the less able you are to communicate with other minded creatures.

No two persons are alike, and it is our personality that distinguishes us from one another, yet we are able to communicate with each other (through mind). If personality is indeed an attribute in reality, then there must be an origin to personality, a first personality. God therefore is not only the controller of physical gravity, but must also be the originator of personality, or at least a pattern or personality. Like gravity, I believe God draws us (as personalities) to Him through a sort of personality circuit. Personality in humans proves there must be a source of personality.

7. Morality. When we see one animal kill another, we do not necessarily attach a moral judgment to the act, we simply assume it is the law of the animal kingdom. But we seem to recognize on some root level the necessity for good moral conduct between human beings and even between higher animals. We seem to instinctively understand moral duty, right and wrong. Some would argue that morality is a cultural heritage, but assuming it is, morality still has an origin.

The notion of morality, the acknowledgment between right and wrong, is a non-material reality and must have had its origin in a being who bestows the ability to know morality to beings who likewise recognize this truth. Morality proves the source must possess moral discernment, otherwise we would not be conscious of it.

8. Religion. You can say that man invented religion, and you can probably think of a million reasons why. It is possible that God is a figment of our imagination, but it is equally possible that there is an intelligent force that gives us the intuition to seek him out. Most animals have a sort of internal compass that allows them to find “north” and navigate (or migrate); whales and dolphins use it to navigate the seas, birds use it when they migrate during the seasons. This internal “sense of knowing” allows animals to find their way around without getting lost. Their survival depends on it.

In this same way, I believe the religious impulse to believe in something must be a confirmation that something within us that causes our minds to contemplate non-material, spiritual realities, and this is why religion came into existence. Something compelled us to believe in something. Religion becomes an outwardly expression of our desire to find spiritual truth in an otherwise physical reality.

To say God is merely a figment of our imagination doesn’t explain why an overwhelming majority of all people believe in some form of spiritual force. Is it possible there are no real spiritual truths to be discovered? Is it possible that the few people who simply do not believe in spiritual truth are right and the rest of humanity is wrong?

Based on probabilities, I do not believe it is likely religion has been fostered and has survived throughout man’s history if the basis for it was false or simply an illusion. Religion is proof that man has an internal, instinctive impulse that comes must from a divine personality who has the ability to draw “all men to himself.”

The religious and spiritual impulse is real. If it doesn’t prove there is a God, it certainly proves that Man possesses spiritual insight.

9. Jesus. Whether you regard him as a prophet, a divine being or simply a guy who had some unusual ideas, his teachings in three years have created two-thousand years of change. Think of the effect Elvis, the Beatles, and Mozart had on the musical world. Would these same people still be relevant two thousand years from now? It is hard to know, but we can attest to the continued popularity of Jesus and his teachings, they continue to have a tremendous effect on generation after generation. Today, 1.2 billion people believe in and follow Jesus and/or his teachings. Jesus said God was real and he lives in us and we are his spiritual children. Jesus declared God was a personality and could be known, even that we could and should have a relationship with him, and thousands upon thousands of other religious teachers have said the same thing. Could they all have just made it up and are delusional? Let me put it another way. If Jesus lied, why do so many people continue to follow his teachings?

10. Prayer. Prayer is a conscious activity and a bona fide experience.
To say someone is praying to nothing is to assume one can determine the validity of the experience of another human being without actually sharing that experience with them.

While it is true a person cannot prove who he or she is praying to for sure, a person can most assuredly declare as a truth that he or she is using his mental faculties to conduct a prayer, the direction of consciousness toward another personality or entity that one believes does exist. If we assume that God is a person as we are persons, then prayer is the mechanism in which both personalities can share a mutual idea, love and devotion on a sublime and actual level of reality, and the same is true when we worship. To pray is to send love to God. Prayer proves God exists, and it proves that mind is more than a material organism, it is capable of spiritual insight and has a desire to commune on a non-material level with Deity.

11. Love. Love is not material; we acknowledge it is exists between two personalities. But can love be quantified? Can the beauty of a rose be a mathematical calculation, or is beauty a subjective and conscious reality that also exists outside alongside physical reality? The entirety of the living experience is really nothing more than the self interacting with other selves as well as the environment around us. And love is the spiritual thread that provides meaning in our otherwise material existence.

We cannot quantify love, but we can feel it; we can know it and it is an experience between two or more people. Love is not physical but it is subjectively real; Love is a real experience in the conscious mind.

Love, as a form of energy flows outward and must come from an original source. If it is bestowed, there must be a bestower. Since we assume God is both mind and personality, then he must also possess the capacity for love, and is in fact the originator of love as it is realized in our personal experience.

Conclusions and Summary

I have now provided eleven examples showing what I would submit there are “proofs” of Gods’ existence and of there being a Creator – a master designer, if you will, of life. And further, that the term God is defined as “the original source of and bestower of all force and energy systems, whether they be physical, mental or spiritual.

When one looks at the intricacies of life, its beauty, its wonder, and how delicate and fragile things are, while at the same time, when we observe how enormous the boundaries are to life, its expansive dimensions, it is just very difficult to believe all of everything we see came about because of a cosmic accident or an indifferent set of circumstances with no set destiny or purpose.

Oddly, even taking this extreme mechanistic position to its philosophical conclusions, if there is in fact no underlying purpose and everything just is and there is no God or Deity behind it all, even if a man believes this with all of his heart, that man is still left with a nagging suspicion he might be wrong.

Many people take God on faith alone, but there are just as many who can appreciate having some tell-tale signs that God may just exist after all, and I would like to believe some of my “proofs” make the existence of God a conceivable idea, if not at least a plausible one.

Atelier Versace Spring 2014 Collection

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Plunging necklines with super sexy slits, Donatella Versace designed beautifully crafted rhinestone embroidered hoodies in a variety of colors.

Using Grace Jones as an inspiration for the design, Versace mentioned during an interview ”She left a sign as a strong, powerful woman, a power goddess, I wanted to embody that.” #fashionfriendsofTenaciousM Enjoy!

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Credit: Style Pantry

Balmain Fall 2014 RTW Collection

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I am crazy for this designer and this is my second time to post about Balmain!! The collection that is Balmain Fall 2014, revived the long admired military trend, with a new take only Olivier Rousting could master. Olive greens, canary yellows, and even a dash of leopard were all present. Balmain’s signature silhouettes came out to play, (structured shoulders and pegged pants) but didn’t feel redundant.

Especially exciting were the ornately macramed dresses using lengths of twined roping as a textile. #fashionfriendsof TenaciousM Enjoy!

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Credit: Style Pantry

“HAPPY” Global Trek

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I am obsessed with Pharrell Williams’ Oscar nominated song “Happy” and I decided to post the variety of ways that the world is putting that uplifting groove to good use! #musicfriendsofTenaciousM enjoy!

I Choose to Follow My Dreams

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Happy Friday! Today seemed like a good opportunity to remind myself and my readers of the real TenaciousM!

TenaciousM's avatarEgos & Buffaloes

In most cases, I would confirm that I am definitely not a follower.  However, I recently found myself in the midst of some serious self-evaluation.  I wondered: “Am I really following my dreams or am I chasing them.”

As I look at the difference, to follow means that the dream is real and I own it.  But to chase a dream says that on some level I’m not really convinced that it’s obtainable.  As I follow dreams/goals that are decades or days old, I feel empowered to know that there is already a connection to that dream. For instance, I shared with a friend recently that I am going to Paris in April. There, the goal has been verbalized and now I follow my path to fulfilling that dream.  Although I have been to Paris several times, each time I visit increases the value of the first dream I had many years…

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Stop Waiting For Friday

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STOP WAITING FOR FRIDAY

I love this quote. It is a reminder that you can wait your life away… waiting for the stars to align, the perfect moment, better weather, a better someone or a life event to propel you forward. I say just jump! Waiting is for losers. Take that leap of faith and you will eventually find yourself in a better place and somewhere closer to your dreams.

Duro Olowu Fall 2014 RTW Collection

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Duro Olowu will hit the 10 year mark for his brand later this year. In that 10 years he has carved out a very distinct identity, one that is easily recognizable as unique to him season in and out. This Fall, Olowu presented a collection that was comfortable in it’s own skin. Every piece within was in some way a representative signature of the brand, from his bright prints to some sweeping mermaid skirts.

Fall 2014 was inspired by deco era furniture designer Elizabeth Eyre de Lanux and the Dada set—Man Ray, and Elsa Schiaparelli, who’s avante garde surrealist experimentation in the early 20th century have been widely emulated. Olowu’s own signature stamp lends itself perfectly to this inspiration. Enjoy!!

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Credit: Style Pantry

UPSTAGED!

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My sex appeal is nurtured.
The work is not condensed to digest
in real life.

Superb actor apply within
limits staged in familiar settings
Episodic, sit-com, mini-series
promotional clips – the act
beats living disappointing rehearsals.

Turn up wine bottles
before I light candles or place the
glasses near flowers (I bought myself).
And believe that what I do for you
Is more than what I do…

Ignored ambience, stolen credits,
suppressed applause.
How would I act with a man who sees
the same movie?

Why Leadership Is About Dignity

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As most of my followers know, I am always looking for guidelines and information about leadership that make sense to me. I came across the following submission and had to share it. If you are a leader in your family, community or at work, I think you will gain some insight from this take on leadership and dignity. I know I did.

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Repost: Denise Restauri, Contributor
Forbes.com

“A bold new way of tackling poverty that’s about dignity, not dependence and choice, not charity.” When I first read that on Acumen.org, I thought beyond poverty. I asked myself, “If dignity is about being worthy of honor and respect, what role does dignity play in leadership?”

To find the answer, I went to three Acumen Global Fellows from the class of 2013 – three women in their 20’s who are the next generation of social impact leaders, a new kind of leader who sees the world as it is and knows she can be a part of the solution that creates lasting impact on the ground. A one-year fellowship, 10-12 individuals from all over the world spend two months in New York undergoing intensive leadership training, followed by nine months working with one of Acumen’s portfolio companies in India, Pakistan, East Africa or West Africa. It’s not about sitting around and talking about the problems, it’s about taking action. It’s about leading.

These three Fellows will share their stories with us over the next few weeks. They are from three different countries: United States, Japan and China. They had three distinct experiences. And they all had major learnings about leadership and dignity:

1) Recognize human dignity. Each one of these women started with a goal to recognize and support human dignity. None of them wanted to help people that they felt sorry for, but rather, be part of a solution that recognizes the dignity in all people. That’s empowerment.

2) Do what’s right, not what’s easy. All of them learned by doing, combining their hard skills with new lessons about how to build trust and support teams to have an impact on the ground. It wasn’t easy and sometimes they couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but they kept moving forward with great integrity and intent.

3) Share the shining star. Each of them saw as their greatest lesson the need to collaborate with the people closest to the ground doing the unglamorous work of execution, day after day. It was not about being a shining star, proving what they could achieve, demonstrating their abilities. It always boiled down to their ability to listen to and learn from the teams they worked with and help them be shining stars.

4) Leadership is a muscle. Leadership is a muscle that needs to be trained and exercised in real life. The lessons they learned, how they overcame challenges, admitted to and fixed their mistakes – those learnings far outweighed the leadership lessons they learned from books.