Tag Archives: Wednesday

HUMP DAY HOPE WITH WEDNESDAY’S WORD: INTEGRITY

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integrity
Integrity is so important when you are working to achieve your goals. In hindsight, do you accept the decisions that you have made? Are you content with your path toward greatness and are you getting there through hard work or climbing and stomping on the backs of others? I love seeing people succeed, but I have a problem when they do it underhandedly, especially my students.

I’d be hypocritical to say that I have always been ‘by the book’ while I was a student in school. I found my shortcuts to getting things done and my grade reflected it and not in a good way either. The outcome reflected my half-steppin’. But one thing I desire not to do is put someone in a situation in which I have chosen to be in, meaning, I am do bad by myself. I can think of one time I put my friends in a compromising situation and I still hear about it… 15 years later! To know that I affected them in a way that was lasting didn’t make me feel very good.

Integrity is such a big part of growth. It is learned. It is shown. It is witnessed. I desire all three, exercising integrity in all situations, especially as an adult and, even more so, as a parent. So what is my point? Don’t expect me to exercise a lack of integrity, especially as a professor. I have told my students SO many times that I do not ‘give’ grades! They EARN them. I remember one I received an email and the student was asking about a ‘C’ grade earned. I explained the grade and how the student received it. The student stated that this grade could prevent them from going to nursing school and that they wanted it changed to a ‘B’. I told the student to call me. When the student called, I said that I couldn’t change a grade that was earned. This student pushed and asked and almost begged for this grade change and I told the student, very calmly,

“Sorry, but I can’t live with such dishonesty. Can you?” The student said, “Huh?” I replied, “If you really want the ‘B’, please contact my director and let her know what you desire.” *silence* I continued to state, “You have plenty of time to do better in your other classes to help your GPA.” *silence* Then the students said, “Okay, thank you” and we said our ‘goodbyes’.

I thought that the situation would infuriate me. It definitely surprised me, but what made me mad is what situation occurred previously that gave this student the nerve to ask for a better grade? Has this been done before and if so, what professor would do that? So, they have tainted their own integrity and the student witnessed it and, apparently, thought this was okay. Again, this is speculation. Maybe this was the first time and they thought they would take a shot at it. Well, the student got SHOT DOWN! You will appreciate your journey to success when you travel the road of integrity.

REMEMBER: WHEN YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AIN’T NO HALF STEPPIN’! INTEGRITY IS LEARNED; GRADES ARE EARNED!

Check out BDK ‘Ain’t No Half-Steppin” here

—
Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong
CEO, LiHK Consulting, LLC
Collegiate Success Coaching, Training and Development
“Discover what you LiHK (like); Become who you Love”

HUMP DAY HOPE WITH WEDNESDAY’S WORD: DETERMINED

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Charles Darwin, the father of ‘Evolutionary Theory’ suggested that humans have thrived on this Earth because their digits, mental capacity and upright statures have allowed them navigate the environment and figure out how to live.  His mantra, “Survival of the Fittest” is used in psychology and sociology as the basis for continued  research on human development and extinction of species.

Well, now that all sounds great and ‘scholarly’, but for real, we just have to do what we gotta do to survive in this crazy thing called life.  Mobb Deep said, “we livin’ this ’til the day that we die; survival of the fit, only the strong survive!” (Mobb Deep, “Survival of the Fittest” Song) Strength, which fuels determination, has helped us survive.  Those survival instincts that kick in when we are faced with danger include adrenaline so high that we are shocked by the strength we truly possess.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, we are reminded of the strength of people who fought for their civil rights.  The determination of African-Americans and people of other cultures and ethnicities who support the fight and wanted their voices heard.  The strength of a man, who died at the age of a VERY young 39 years old, that provided a voice for millions!!  But we can’t help to think even further back to the determination of a woman, tired from a hard days work, who refused to move to the rear of the bus.

We have to continue to think about the strength of those teens in NC who sat right at the Woolworth’s counter because it was their right.  The African-Americans who gladly took their 40 acres and their mule to create a life for their newly freed families.  The selfless woman who made tracks on a very long path, many times, to free others!  And, need I say it, the man who shed his blood and gave his life, setting an example of what “Survival of the Fittest” truly means, helping his followers understand eternal life and love.

It is amazing how strong and determined we are when faced with situations of adversity!! So does this explain why some people aren’t as determined in the midst of their own dreams?  We talk about it, but you have to BE about it!!  You don’t have to rush toward your goals!  All of these pioneers had visions and strategically thought through how it should be implemented.  You have the power to do the same and it doesn’t have to be in the midst of turmoil, chaos, adversity, or challenge!

Confidence builds strength!  Strength fuels determination!!  Determination is standing firm in your purpose!!!  Go for what you desire!!  Even trying takes effort!!  So, be DETERMINED!!



—

Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong

HUMP DAY HOPE WITH WEDNESDAY’S WORD: MOVE!!!

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·    While I am driving into work there are some drivers that I really think fall asleep behind the wheel!!  They sit idle after the light has been green for a minute or they decide to pull in front of you and drive slower than the speed limit because they haven’t had their ‘pick up’ in the morning.  Well, I am wide awake, driving the speed limit, or more, and my pick-me-ups are sitting in the back seat!  So now, you are in my way to get to my destination!  No, I am not rushing!  Most times I am on time or early, but I should not feel the consequences of your lack of motivation!  So, as I am driving, I shout, “Move!!! Geez!”  and my son, taking after his father, shouts, “C’mon Mannnn! ‘Outta Wayyy'”  I can’t help but chuckle because even a 2.5 year old knows that driver needs to get some pep in that pedal!

 

Anyway, when I think of someone shouting, “Move!”, it is said, mostly, in urgency!  There is a destination to get to or there is a barrier to that destination; therefore, the command has purpose, yet stated sternly for ACTION!  When I think about Ludacris’ song, “Move….” and a Baltimore Club Track, “Out My Way….” and how, at parties, folks would respond, moving each other out of the way, in fun, of course, the songs provoked action and a change in position, sometimes forced.  Most times being forced to move is not ‘welcomed’ or ‘preferred’.

 Don’t wait to move on things you desire to do!  In these economic times, many of us are forced to move out of jobs and positions and it’s not comfortable.  Then we are forced to move to other desired levels in our careers and life, quicker than we would have wanted, and it’s, initially, not comfortable.  If you want to do something in life, then get started and… MOVE!  Whether baby steps, major steps or huge leaps of faith…. MOVE!!!  If you aren’t ready, that’s fine; MOVE when you are. If someone is in your way, then tell them to “MOVE… get out the way…” because you have places to go, things to see and people to meet! Don’t let the consequences of their lack of motivation affect your actions!  If someone is blocking your progress, say ‘Out My Way…’ and ‘throw them bows’ (i.e. elbowing someone out of their current position) because you are trying to move out or up and they are dead-weight.  Get assertive in your demands; get aggressive in your quest!!  You have a destiny!  You won’t get there until you MOVE!!!

“A ‘dead-weight’ in your progress will surely hinder your success” ~ Dr. Jai

 

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Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“HIP HOP HOPE” WITH WEDNESDAY’S WORD: ATTENTION (Kendrick Lamar Commentary)

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OH MAN!!! Kendrick Lamar has stirred up the pot now!!  And you know what? He has ALL OF OUR ATTENTION!!  The thing is, NOTHING that he has done or said is anything new!  Kool Moe Dee started calling people out long ago and many other rappers have followed suit.  The rap game has a voice and with that voice, folks speak truth.  What is funny is that a lot of people are MAD now because of his one line:

“I’m Makaveli’s offspring, I’m the king of New York
King of the Coast, one hand, I juggle them both”

Okay, some are mad for more than that but tweets have been off the hook because of his ‘claim’. What is even funnier is that he got their attention, got them mad and for what?!?!  From my research of hip hop history and reading the lyrics to his part in Big Sean’s “Control”, I would venture to interpret the line above as the following:

Kendrick, in my opinion, is saying that he is like TuPac Shakur.  A rap artist that rapped and dominated BOTH coasts (juggle them both)!!  From what I gather, Kendrick is not saying that HE is the king of New York, specifically, but if you research you will find that TuPac’s initial rap pen name was “MC New York”.  As a lyrical ‘offspring’, Kendrick is crowning himself king of both coasts!!  In my mind, it is not a diss against anyone who had or has dominated the NY scene.  

Now let’s skip forward to calling folks out.  Shoot, it’s needed!! I won’t agree with all called out, but he has his reasons… if anything to get that attention and wake folks up.  How is that different from giving donations and doing a challenge to other organizations to match what you have given?  He is laying the cards on the table, waiting for the pick up!  

When did the same lyrical mouthpiece that gave our people a voice and a sound get wrapped around a bottle top?  When did that SAME mouthpiece become more important wrapped around a roach?  When did the SAME mouthpiece start to demean and degrade women?  Well, when society changed and THAT was what people wanted to hear or talk about.  Is it wrong?  No, it’s storytelling and marketing at its finest.   However, when that is ALL your brand has become or has grown from, then you have deviated or separated from REAL HIP HOP.  This ‘marketing’ has expanded the business, but tainted the message. It’s ‘bubble gum’ and folks are getting chewed up and chewed out by a man that wants to bring REAL HIP HOP back.  Does the ‘coast’ really matter?  Surely it didn’t as one of rap’s icons succeeded on both, East and West, and a newbie to the mainstream is just trying to fill the gap that has been empty for a minute.

“I’m dressed in all black, this is not for the fan of Elvis
I’m aimin’ straight for your pelvis, you can’t stomach me.”

He got our attention; he’s mourning Hip Hop.  He’s fighting for it!  He has stirred up the pot and everyone is ready to eat now, except for the wrong reason because they are mad!! Now rappers have something to prove, right?  It took getting the ATTENTION to make them move!  Well, I’m not mad at it at all.  Thank you Kendrick Lamar.

So how will YOU get the ATTENTION of those interested in what you may have to say?  Are you chillin’ in the corner observing silently or yelling to the hills that something is needed and something has to change and you are the person to do it?  Stir up the pot then!  You may be a jack of all trades, but be an EXPERT in one!!  Get that ATTENTION that you desire.  WHAT YOU HAVE LOVE FOR, YOU WILL FIGHT FOR!  That’s what Kendrick Lamar is doing… just loving Hip Hop.

—

Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong

HUMP DAY HOPE WITH WEDNESDAY’S WORD: INSPIRE

Wednesday Word,

I often sit at my computer, trying to figure out what my next move is. I try to think about the ‘next best thing’ that will propel my vision forward, bringing it closer to a full-time reality. I watch money fly from my pockets as I invest in what, I feel, will help me take this ‘thing’ to the next level. “Trainer-Speaker-Coach” is now a part of who I am and what I do, but I want it to be truly WHAT I DO! I am often left to make decisions of what is truly important. No matter what, my family comes first! I have been presented with opportunities that, in the grand scheme of things, could have put me further than where I am, but I rejected them because, again, for me, family comes first! I figure, if it is meant to be, it will come around again. Sometimes I am presented with really hard decisions that actually suck the life out of me. I am presented with situations that truly take my energy, but I will fight to get through it because, essentially the work is what I desire to do, the vision is moving forward and the outcome, especially that of monetary value and return, can be brought back into my household to be recycled into my craft and to support my first love… my family! It all comes full-circle at some point; however, with many personal sacrifices in between.

So why do I say all of this? After I put maximum energy in preparing for a training, it can be really exhausting. There is A LOT of ‘behind-the-scenes’ work that goes into preparing for a few or a lot of hours of training (and into my teaching as well). I think about a recent training I had where I was preparing the training packets and my little man came around into the dining room, wanting to play with the colorful items I had on the table in front of him. My husband calls him back so that I could continue to work, but little man wanted to be in Mommy’s presence. So I folded up a piece of construction paper that I was putting in the folder into a diamond shape. My little 2 year old looked at it and said, very excited, “Yell-whoa KITE, Mommy!!” and he proceeded to ‘fly’ his yellow kite around the table where I was working. The excitement in his eyes and the smile on his face made me, again, think about what was truly important as I pursue this vision- I was preparing to inspire! The seconds I took to make that ‘kite’ got him motivated! If I could do that in SECONDS, imagine what these hours of preparation can do for a student or client or participant in MINUTES TO HOURS!!

Now, make your decisions wisely, according to your health, but also keep in mind that sometimes we have to put our physical situations aside for the emotional outcomes of the masses! When I hear people say that my training or talk was inspirational and/or something that I stated motivated them, I get excited because I can clearly see their excitement! It’s a win-win situation!! Remember: the bottom line to making an impact on people is to ensure that you inspire and motivate them. The bigger picture is that a positive voice can change the world!! Prepare and seek to INSPIRE!

—
Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong
CEO, LiHK Consulting, LLC

DR. JAI WEDNESDAY’S WORD- HUMILITY

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So, you ‘DA BOSS’, huh? So you brush your shoulders off and the haters
fall to your feet, huh? So, I sound like ‘Juvenile’, huh? Really?
Maybe they hate because you haven’t even taken the time to share just
a smidgen of life’s lessons learned. While you are out being a Paper
Chaser, help at least one other person run the race too! People thrive
for information; how much have you shared today or even this week?

When you can step outside of the titles, the fame, the glory, and the
admiration attached to you, you are able to recognize that it was the
dirty, the grind, and the grit that made you who you are. Just be
certain to remain humble because in THIS economy, ANYTHING can happen
and things can change so fast. You never know if the person you may
look down your nose to, may be the very person that you need to help
you get up when you have fallen. You can never forget ‘humble
beginnings’ if you continue to be humble in your lifetime!

THE STORY:

I was walking through the hall today and a colleague stopped to speak
to me and said ‘Hey Dr. Armmmstronggg’! I turned around and said,
“Hi! But you don’t have to call me that!” He said, “I don’t have to,
but I want to!” I said, “Okay, you can call me doctor or whatever you
want!” He smiled. Before I departed he said, “I really can’t believe
it! You are a doctor and you still don’t want anyone to call you
that?!?!” I said, “They can call me, “Doctor”, but it doesn’t seem
right outside of a professional setting. Yeah, we are at work, but we
aren’t in meetings or anything. Plus, most people have known me
before the degree, so just call me ‘Janice’. He said, “Okay, whatever
you say, Doc! You are just being yourself I see…”… he chuckled and
we departed.

I have found that others are more proud of me than I am of myself. I
have achieved my goal and I earned the title, but I have been ‘Janice’
since I was born and it is ‘Janice’ who loves to help people. It is
‘Janice’ who desires to change lives. It has ALWAYS been ‘Janice’ to
love ‘people’. It is ‘Dr. Jai’ that allows the opportunity to be able
to reach more people to help, to change and to love!

“Discover what you LiHK (like); Become who you love” (… and desire
to love someone else too! 🙂 )

[Feel free to visit my website at www.lihkleaders.com; click the
‘book’ tab for more information about “From the Street to the
Executive Suite: Remixing Street Smarts and Life Lessons into
Leadership Success”]

Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong
CEO, LiHK Consulting, LLC