life

Titles Are Just Titles

As I read an email from a reader this morning wondering why I have been much slower to post these days, I thought I would share my most recent life lesson: Titles Are Just Titles. Not only will it explain the lesson, but it will also explain some of why I have been much slower to post items these days.

From the time I was a young girl, I wanted a title in terms of career. I knew when I grew up and had a career it would be something meaningful that I would be proud of. Upon entering my third year as a single mom I had yet to find that career with that nice title. Then alas, it came. I was hired as the “Operations Manager” and felt like my future was secure. It was such a strong title, and on salary.com it showed some nice numbers for a salary. I knew if I took the position I would be making a six digit salary within a year or two. So I took the position. It was definitely promising for a single mother of three, and the company seemed to have a lot of potential.

As I began to work for this company my creativity began to be used there instead of here, and I had less to offer when it came to writing. I was beat. I was spent. And I was also pre-occupied with other things. I would be in the midst of working with no way to jot ideas as they came, and at times it drove me crazy. I was conflicted and torn so I did what I always do, I prayed.

As I prayed things began to unravel. One thing at a time, one day at a time I was given cues. And to make a long story short, my boss turned out to be a complete shmuck that didn’t pay me for two months.  So rather than work for free, I quit. I gave up on the career with the strong title and I quit worrying about what other people think about where I am at in my journey of life now.  Since resigning as Operations Manager, I have since begun to walk my own path. I have begun treasure hunting at auctions for items to sell on eBay, and have had more time to write.

As a result, this past week I have nearly finished a book that should be complete within the next few days. Although I havent been actively posting, I have been actively writing and look forward to sharing this book with everyone. It is a compilation of life, love, and lessons. It is a simple table side poetry book but is designed much different from others out there. I’m excited to publish it, and look forward to feedback both good and bad.

Through all this I learned that titles are just titles. It is doing what we love and what makes us happy that matters most when lay our head down at night. And this, is what I love. Writing, sharing, giving, and helping. That is me. And I have way more to give, when I don’t worry about what other people think.

Some Love

Some love comes for a season,

Some love lasts forever.

Some love is forfeited,

Some love is mistaken all together.

Some love brings inspiration,

Some love brings shame.

Some love is never-ending,

No love is the same.


© Angela Bininger and The Empowerers, 2009-2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Angela Bininger and The Empowerers with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The ABC’s Of Life


© Angela Bininger and The Empowerers, 2009-2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Angela Bininger and The Empowerers with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Beauty In Pain


~ We will often learn more in ten days of agony than in ten years of contentment ~

Pain is a wonderful motivator that breaks down the walls that keep old behaviors intact. It guides us towards thoughts and ideas we may otherwise suppress, and forces us to seek answers from places we have never looked before. It opens our minds to ideas that hold the key to new insight, understanding, and freedom.

© Angela Bininger and The Empowerers, 2009-2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Angela Bininger and The Empowerers with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Divorce Is Final, Now The Emotional Divorce

Often people file for divorce or initiate a break-up thinking that they are done with the relationship. They think the issues will be gone and that they can begin their new journey. Although publicly filing for divorce is the first major step, the emotional divorce is much harder to deal with, and it takes time.

Studies indicate that it takes approximately 3-6 months for every year in a committed relationship to heal. Although there is no such timer for healing due to the fact that each person handles it differently, this time period proves to be true in the dissolution of almost every relationship I have witnessed.

How To File For An Emotional Divorce

1. Begin to live separate lives! This is crucial! You are two separate people, heading two separate directions. You are on a journey to find yourselves again, and you will hit many road blocks while still acting as though you are a married or committed couple. Give him/her space, and begin to live separate.

2. Do Not Answer To One Another! This one is probably one of the hardest to do. After being in a committed relationship we naturally answer to the “How, Why, Where, When” questions. We do it naturally, and it times we feel it is just showing respect. Reality is, it is keeping us attached.

3. Reinvent Yourself! Find something you have always caught yourself daydreaming about, and do it. Take that trip, join that society, fight for that cause, run that marathon, publish that book, or whatever the case may be. When we begin doing something that empowers us on a daily basis we begin to feel we live a life of purpose. Reinventing ourselves is our way of keeping our past from dictating who we are or become. This is your chance to shine!

4. Pray! This is by far the fastest road to recovery. Pray for guidance, wisdom, and discernment. Pray for a life of peace. Pray to know yourself, and pray for God to allow others to be receptive to your wants, needs, and desires. It may be instantly that He answers, and it may be months. But nonetheless, He will answer. Just be ready when He does!

5. Let Go! There is nothing worse than holding on to something that is dead. Once you let go completely you can begin to embrace the new journey, and move forward. You then begin to experience an inner peace like no other just by letting go. Fear keeps us holding on, fear misleads us, and fear blinds us. When we let go of fear, we can let go of almost anything.

6. Find A Positive Outlet! Wether it be crafts, arts, music, writing, playing sports, coaching a team etc., it is important to find a positive outlet. This emotional roller-coaster ride may not end for weeks, months, or even years. Find something or some way to release that anger, frustration, and sadness in a positive way. By projecting positive, more positive will come.

7. Believe! The sooner you believe you can do it alone, the sooner you will. The sooner you believe, the sooner you will succeed. After every loss, there is a gain. When God takes one away, He often sends something or someone even better to bless our socks off.

8. Don’t Rush It! There is no need to rush into the arms of someone else. If we did that we would end up right back where we are now, eventually. Take time to learn the lessons. Dig deep and do a self-check. Break-ups are never due to one person alone. Both parties bring issues to the relationship, and it is important to take responsibility for your part in that. By accepting responsibility for where you went wrong in the relationship, you begin to take preventative measures for all future relationships.

As I stated earlier in this article, the emotional divorce is far different from the typical divorce. It is an entirely different process. Couples divorce every day in this country through our court systems. However, more often than not they remain emotionally married for years to come. Take control of your life, and get out completely. Only then will you experience the true beauty in this world. Only then will the chains that bind you, be broken.

© Angela Bininger and The Empowerers, 2009-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Angela Bininger and The Empowerers with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Goodbye Says It All

No long explanation. No reconciliation. No lets talk it over, number you can call. Goodbye says it all! *Blackhawk*

The biggest mistake we make at times is saying goodbye, or so we think. We fool ourselves into believing that in the eyes of someone else, we are worth fighting for. That our relationship with them meant to them, what it did to us. The truth is, that is hardly the case in any relationship. Wether it be romantic or what one thinks is an innocent opposite sex relationship, one always seems to feel more than the other. One always seems to have higher expectations.

As we walk away threatening our goodbyes while hoping deep down that another person will change their ways or even put up a fight to keep us, we begin living in denial. We begin to loose ourselves. It is crucial to maintain your dignity, and keep walking. Despite the pain of goodbye, 99% of the time it is worth it. It will make for a much sweeter “hello” with someone who believes what we believe, and that we truly jive with.

As we kick ourselves during the mourning process of saying goodbye, we must not wallow in our own self pity. After all, we chose to walk away right? Perhaps when we walked away from someone who we think we still love, goodbye said it all to them. Are they suppose to spend their life consumed with thoughts of us? Or are they suppose to learn their lessons, heal, and move forward?

In the initial stages of break-ups , we truly believe we still love someone out of fear and fear alone. Once we move out of fear, we will then see that the break-up that occurred, occurred for a reason. It occurred to take us to a much brighter destination. It occurred so the we can be in complete control of our happiness.

Before saying goodbye, remember that to many people in this world, “Goodbye says it all.” Never say goodbye and expect someone to beg you to be in their life. It just doesn’t work that way. Pick up the pieces, and move on. Brighter days will come.

Tides

We will make mistakes

we will fall on our face

But what really matters

is that we fall with grace

When tragedy dies

and lessons are learned

happiness is found

the tides have turned.

© Angela Bininger and The Empowerers, 2009-2015 Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Angela Bininger and The Empowerers with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Fighter

I went to see a band this past week, and received validation that I have been given a gift of discernment. As the gals in the band sang Fighter by Christina Aguilera the crowd sang along. I walked over to a man, and said “keep fighting”. I could feel it, despite his smiling outwardly and appearing to be enjoying his evening. When I spoke those words to him, he said “You have no idea. I’m fighting. I’ve had 5 brain tumors”, and he began to list a series of medical complications. He then looked at me and said “Out of everyone in this room to have said that to, you picked me. I’m fighting! This is weird! I have chills!”

Needless to say we became quick friends, and this experience gives me chills to even retell. We never exchanged numbers, or even our names. But it reminds me of the old saying “Be nice to everyone you see, they are fighting a battle you know nothing about!”

Breaking Cycles: Focusing On Who You Want To Be, Not Who You Once Were

“Life is full of cycles. Some are very short-lived, while others can become a habit.” 

When attempting to break a cycle our point of focus will determine our success rate in breaking that particular cycle. Whether it is a lifestyle change or a breaking of bad habits, “We must focus on where we want to be and who we want to be, not where we are or who we are, or were.”

In the midst of breaking a cycle, people may snub you. But that’s ok. With every snub you get there will be people sent to make up for what those judging your positive changes lacked.

Just smile and hold your head high. Focus on who you want to be, and when you get there you can look back and say “aHa! I sure showed them!” You will be glad that you became who you wanted to be all along, and that you didn’t let those doubting you interfere with who you are meant to be.

We all make mistakes, and we all fall down. People who stay down like to pick apart those who get back up, try again, and succeed. Ignore their non-sense, and keep doing what you are doing. Only you can make it happen. And there is a satisfaction in accomplishing things that others think we can’t. It makes me smile anyway.  


Patience 101 – God’s Delays Are Not His Denials

Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials.  Hold on; hold fast; hold out.  Patience is genius.   -Comte de Buffon

I think of many scenarios when I read this quote. When I first read it I thought of a friend from my school years who had several miscarriages and still births. Finally on number six she carried a baby to term that lived.  God was not denying her anything, he simply had a better person for her child to have as a father figure. He had a different plan but still honored this woman’s prayer, over time. This woman believed she would be a mother, and she didn’t give up. And by believing it would happen, it did. Her patience gave her the life she dreamed of. Her refusal to hear from doctor’s “You can’t have children, stop trying” got her where she is today. Most women, would have stopped after a couple times. But this woman is strong, and knew in her heart she deserved this prayer to be answered. And it was. She has a beautiful baby girl. Her story gives me chills every time I think about it.

I also think of that friend with the “strained” marriage.  I think of how her dream as a child was to have a family. Something stable for her children. Some normalcy! I think of how they struggled recently, but by holding on and being patient they are now on the cusp of have that family they dreamed of. Something far better than what that marriage has known for so many years. By getting to the root of their marital problems they are discovering more about themselves and each other. God wasn’t denying them a happy family, He was just making sure they still wanted it. It took a little bit of heartache to move the couple closer, but it has moved them closer together. They held on, they are being patient, and because of that their golden years will be beautiful.

This quote reminds me of one of my favorite Bloggers as she works diligently to restore her marriage, and let go of the past. By God denying her love that resulted in an extra marital affair; her and her husband’s patience in restoring their marriage, the hours of counseling, and soul-searching will give her more love than she has ever known over time. If they are patient. God wasn’t denying anything in those moments of despair as the love affair ended. He was just giving her something better. He gave her a strong man to love her unconditionally, along with a chance to know more about herself. The situation that was once bad, has the potential now to bring a lifetime of happiness. Pure bliss!

When I read this quote I also think about how long I waited for a career. I stayed home with my children many years, and although I have a PhD in child rearing I felt inadequate when it came to careers. I felt like I had not done much with my life. I began nursing school and felt it was the best thing for my life. Every day I would leave for school excited. Thinking about my future as a nurse gave me chills.  It appeared to be the only solution to many problems. But as I sat enrolled in school spending 60 hours a week between my books and classes, it just wasn’t an option for me at this juncture in my life. I felt like I was missing out on my kids lives for something I can do when they are older. The timing just didn’t seem appropriate, and I will never get these tender years with my children back. So I stopped nursing school.

When I stopped nursing school I said I would find a career. That I didn’t need that degree yet. That my children were most important and that I need to be available for them. For  months I waited,  I cried, and I prayed. I watched my savings take a nosedive as I patiently and diligently searched for employment. I knew in my heart of hearts that God wouldn’t let me down. I knew there was something good out there for me.

As  a result of denying what I once thought I wanted, God gave me something better. Something better than a career I was only entering for money and job security. In fact, He gave me my dream. He gave me a career  that works around my children’s schedules. He gave me full-time pay for part-time hours. He gave me a place of employment but I can still  be here to put my kids on the bus every day, and also be here to get them off.  The income potential with this career He gave me in exchange for my patience, surpasses that of the degree I would have received this June. My patience landed me a higher paying career, without that piece of paper that says “she graduated college, she is smart enough to do this”.

These are just some of the things that came to mind when I read that quote. What comes to your mind? What has happened in your life where you thought God was denying you something? Have you thought He was denying it only to find out He had something better planned all along? Was  His plan was just different for you than your plan for you was?