Blogging A to Z 2022 - Affirmations & Ambition

The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge (2022) gets underway today. It's been a few years since I participated, so I am excited to join in this year. As a reminder, I will be discussing topics of interest to those who identify as women. The Book Connection is lucky number 78 in a list of more than 140 bloggers who are participating in 2022. I encourage you to check out the list and visit other blogs with topics of interest.

AFFIRMATIONS

The origins of affirmations dates as far back as 1500/1000 B.C., the early 20th century, or the 1980s depending on which source you use. My personal experience with affirmations began in the late 80s/early 90s when I read my first book by Og Mandino, The Greatest Miracle in the World. This book contains "The God Memorandum," which shared the four laws of happiness and success. "The God Memorandum" became so popular, it was published as a separate guide published as early as 1990.

This memorandum, a message to the reader from God, is said to offer "comfort and encouragement to anyone with faltering self-esteem or a lack of motivation." If I recall correctly, the reader was supposed to recite this memorandum once a day for 30 days. 

Do you believe in daily affirmations? What are some of your favorite affirmations?

AMBITION

Ambition is a word that seems to come with a fair amount of negativity for women. Real estate is the first industry I've been part of where women are the majority (currently 67%), which has allowed me to feel more comfortable in celebrating my success.

In this article from 2019, Forbes contributor Caroline Castrillon discussed numerous studies that indicate, culturally, ambition in men is viewed as a positive trait, but is criticized in women. Castrillion also cited a 2017 Pew Center Research survey of adults in the United States that ranked top traits or characteristics of men and women. 

Top three traits for men: honesty/morality, professional/financial success, ambition/leadership

Top three traits for women: physical attractiveness, empathy/nurturing/kindness, intelligence

So, we want men to be honest, financially successful, and ambitious, but those surveyed aren't as concerned about their intelligence (ranked 9 out of 11). However, women are supposed to be attractive (because somehow that means I'm a successful and good person), empathetic, and intelligent, but those surveyed don't see a woman's financial and professional success (ranked 7 out of 13) as important. FYI, single females are 5% more likely to own a home than single men. Oh, and as a former single parent, I can tell you my professional and financial success has always been top of mind.

Susannah Baldwin, author of Women, Language, and Power: Giving Voice to Our Ambition, wrote in this January 2022 article, "The good news is that we can challenge the false belief that to be ambitious is to be unfeminine. And we can learn how to grow comfortable, even confident, in acting on our ambitions and realizing our goals." 

Reciting daily affirmations and changing the way we talk about ambitious women helps us to achieve our goals and gives women everywhere the freedom to succeed on their own terms. 

Author Interview: Dr. Tiffany Brown, Author of The Reflections of Light for Daily Living (Giveaway)

Dr. Tiffany Brown is a native Atlantan, a diva, mogul, and idealist with scars to prove it. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Spelman College in political science, a Master’s in public administration from Clark Atlanta University and a Doctorate in public policy from Walden University. She is an owner of the following companies:
• Your Luminosity, a nonprofit social networking site
• Brown Vending, snack vending service
• Ambition Talk Radio Network, a 24-hour Internet talk radio station
• Tiffany Brown LTD, a women’s clothing and accessory line
• Tiffany Brown LLC, a consulting firm

She was also a 2009 write-in Atlanta Mayoral Candidate. Tiffany admits to being an absolute sports fanatic and although trying her best, a below average golfer. A self-described “avid health enthusiast,” Dr. Brown encourages everyone to live and think healthy. Tiffany is also an active member of Cascade United Methodist Church where Rev. Marvin Moss is the Senior Pastor and she is an usher on the women’s usher board.

For more information on Tiffany or her book, The Reflections of Light for Daily Living, please go to her website http://www.tiffanycbrown.com/ or twitter page at www.twitter.com/drtiffanybrown.

1) If people could take away one thing from your book, what would you want it to be?

Never give up on your goals in life but allow God to revise or tweak them into being aligned with his Will. Every failure is not a nightmare and every opportunity is not a blessing. Some failures can be blessings; some opportunities can be nightmares.

Allow God completely into your heart and watch your life begin to expand in the most amazing ways. I trust God in completely different way than before because I now have a testimony that I never had before. There is nothing like spectacular fall to truly give you a new relationship with God.

2) I love how you have included your life stories onto the pages and you are so relatable; what has been one of your biggest challenges in life and how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge was bouncing back from my failed mayoral bid that was a disappointment on a professional and emotional level. It was completely humiliating because I was marginalized and misunderstood throughout the campaign. I felt like people didn’t get me; they just stereotyped me.
There were many people that I had supported in the past that didn’t return the favor added to the humiliation. I was very disappointed in people that I had respected and loved in every facet of my life. It definitely changed the way I see the world.

I was able to overcome it all through forgiveness. God forgives us for all our transgressions and I was forced to do the same. All the inspirational stories I wrote are from perspective of a reader; I wrote what I needed to hear at those desperate, heart wrenching times in my life. I wrote to encourage myself and now decided to share it with others.

3) What have you learned about yourself throughout the process of writing your book?

I learned not to take things so personally. Most decisions are based on individual personal ambition. Ambition is never right or wrong; it is the inner drive to have something more in your life. But sometimes your ambition can clash with others. You must not take it personally.

I also learned that having just me is enough because of God’s love. I now feel comfortable in my own skin; imperfections in all. I may not be perfect but I am attempting to be a best that I can. And that is enough as long as I try to stay aligned with God.

PURCHASE A COPY OF THE REFLECTIONS OF LIGHT FOR DAILY LIVING HERE!

How would you like to win a copy of The Reflections of Light for Daily Living?

Dr. Tiffany Brown has agreed to provide an autographed copy of her book to one lucky winner from our blog. Here are the rules for this giveaway:

1. You must be a follower of this blog in order to be eligible to win.
2. Your first comment must state how you are a follower and include your email address so that we can contact you if you win.
3. Receive one additional entry for following Dr. Tiffany Brown on Twitter at www.twitter.com/drtiffanybrown  Leave a separate comment here to let us know you did.
4. Receive one additional entry for liking Dr. Tiffany Brown on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tiffany-Brown-for-Mayor/99947007258 Leave a separate comment here to let us know you did.
5. Receive two additional entries for becoming my friend on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1110037692 Leave a separate comment here to let us know you did.
6. Receive two additional entries for following me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ccmalandrinos Leave a separate comment here to let us know you did.
7. Receive five additional entries for blogging about this contest. Leave a link to your post here.

This giveaway is limited to residents of the United States and Canada. Deadline to enter is 11:59 PM Eastern on Sunday, October 31, 2010. The Book Connection is not responsible for lost or damaged goods.