If you change your mind you can change your life.

Happy New Year from the Afrikan Superstar #2017

It is very easy to look around at the world around you critically, and see everyone else's flaws. It is easy to place blame, but the most challenging thing to do, Is to assess yourself and make the necessary changes. At times we wallow in misery because we have some idealized idea of happiness that we refuse to deviate from, however that idea never seems to come to pass. I too have been very guilty. I have tried in many ways to take certain shortcuts that always lead back to the same pathway that has not worked for me. 2017 will be a year of serious genuine self assessment and change. If someone is not happy in their life, they have every obligation and responsibility to enhance and improve themselves. I cant continue to experience lack in my life in certain areas, because I am deliberately rejecting good opportunities and chronically drawn to bad ones. I believe that if you change your mind.. you can change your life. Looking at things differently can bring about breakthrough in areas you have spent years being stumped on. With the recent deaths of many of the musical icons I have studied and enjoyed by close analyzation of their music, I have come to conclusion that they were unable to find true happiness in their lives because they refused to change their mindset of what happiness really was and in the end died a lonely and unfulfilled life. For Prince, family and offspring would have provided the deep sense of accomplishment, However he repeatedly lacked success in the love department (which is very common for deep and passionate people) He once said in one of his lyrics to his song Future Baby Mama "They say all my lovers look alike, could it be I've been waiting for you?" indicating a very real truth of the women he dated.. They did all resemble, and could it be that he overlooked women that would have been very loyal to him because he had a certain template of what he looked for? Prince relentlessly searched for love and marriage, but it seems from the outside looking in that the women he pursued never fully appreciated him or desired him they way he desired them. I too have been very guilty of this same complex. Pining after people that have not returned the same level of love and admiration that I have for them, and otherwise not entertaining those that would do anything for me, however I have changed my mind. I have come to the conclusion that respect is more important for me in a relationship. Sharing and pouring love and passion on the man of my choice is my own guilty pleasure, but not personally beneficial for me. You see for the leader, giving and providing to those that you love is the ultimate pleasure because in many cases.. we have everything that we need. Another musical icon that I deeply loved was George Michael, who was guilty of disobedience, which resulted in his untimely death. George Micheal's music was filled with references to God which leads me to believe that he struggled with truly submitting to God, likely due to his lifestyle choice of homosexuality. Secretly George donated money and time frequently to random people and charities... trying to avenge his restless soul and convincing himself that he was indeed a good person by doing good things.. however faith without works is dead.. Being good is not good enough if you will not align yourself with God's ultimate will for your life, and money can not buy your way out of hell. My Pastor cleverly parallels the life of a stars (influential persons) purpose to the star that lead the wise-men to Jesus. The purpose of the star is to do just that ; lead people to Jesus. if the star refuses to do so they will be a fallen star with a troubled life. In both of these instances.. you have two very beautiful men, that left no lineage to receive their sizable estates. Both died alone with untimely deaths related to substance abuse. Both men had all the money they could ever want or need, but that yet could not still fill the voids of their souls; a space that can only be filled with the hope that God provides, surely. In the lives of these men, that I truly loved from a distance, I can see bits of myself, and I can see their critical errs of judgement. I am sure that making other choices could have lead to a much different outcome for them and their families. I of course have not escalated that high, but I often feel that I will one day. I am making the best foundation to prepare for it today.