I was talking to a good friend today about some new developments in her life.  She had just received word about a couple of individuals who have resurfaced in her area and have been known to cause drama in her life in the past.  She was a bit frantic about the idea of them colluding together to find her and her husband so that they could work in concert to exact some more drama into their life. 

“What do you think we should do?” she asked.  I politely responded, “If drama makes an attempt to find you, just be nice.  Be nice until it’s no longer appropriate to be nice then ask for help from the proper authorities.  In the meantime don’t start freaking out and let hypothetical and potential problems of the future negatively affect your joy and happiness in the present.” 

Simply put, don’t waste time worrying in advance about future negative possibilities that may never become reality.  I further reminded her that “Worry” is a cunning, sneaky, professional thief that is highly proficient at accosting individuals and robbing and depriving them of their joy and happiness in the present moments of life.  She immediately voiced her understanding and gratitude and agreed to hold on to her happiness in the moment.

Honestly, it’s conversations like these that really fire me up and get my juices for life flowing.  These types of conversations serve as a reminder for me as well.  I call them “Power-Chats”.  I sincerely believe that power chats on a regular basis with other individuals that are “goal-getters” and “dream-driven” and are looking to better themselves is an absolute must to keep your edge and focus in this “Life” thing.  Trying to brave the storm of life by yourself can be a daunting task to say the least.  Life has shown me that the constant noise of negativity and drama of the world around us can beat us up and cause severe damage to one’s psyche if left unchecked by an occasional power chat. 

So I invite you to consider forming a strategic alliance relationship with several like-mind and quality friends and family members that can serve in the role of mutual encourager.  A relationship where you both are mutual champions of each other’s success and wellbeing.  A relationship that mutually nourishes and uplifts and affirms each other in the best of times and the not-so-best of times.  When it comes to combating pervasive drama and negativity there’s definitely safety in numbers. 

So let’s grow our strategic alliances and leverage the potent power and possibilities of the prolific “Power-Chat” on a regular basis.  Now you have no excuse not to make it GREAT!

Pre-Order My Book TODAY:      “Make it GREAT”
www.MakeItGreatNOW.com

Living in a world where “sex” sells, “drama” dominates, “chaos” is a cash-cow, “profanity” is profitable and “raunchy” and “risqué” rules the airwaves and cyberspace, one of my biggest struggles and challenges has been trying to attract and maintain the attention of the masses. 

I must admit that it’s becoming extremely harder and harder to compete with video games and internet-cyberspace.  The mind-numbing TV shows, radios, picture shows and video’s are managing to seduce most of the general public into accepting a mediocre mindset.  Yet I fight-on.

I fight on because I know my cause is noble and just.  I fight-on because my mission is worthy of my best efforts.  I fight-on because I was created for a task such as this.  I fight-on because evil can only prosper and grow if good men/women stand by and do nothing.  I fight-on because my boys want to be like me and they’re watching my every step.   I fight-on because someone, somewhere is unknowingly waiting to be Inspired, Motivated or Educated by my message and content.

In spite of the existing challenge, my #1 goal hasn’t changed a bit.  I still aspire to remain relevant and produce positive, life altering content in a very competitive market.  “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.” was the famous words spoken by the Little Engine that Could, but my emphatic word-phrase is, “I know I can, I Know I Can, I ABSOLUTELY KNOW I CAN !!!”

Today I have no shame in admitting that I need all the help I can possibly get from my friends both on and off-line.  So I say to you today, if you’ve ever been blessed by any of my work, writings or content, feel free to refer others to my Facebook page and my website and blog regularly @:  www.CedricCrawford.com. 

There’s sooooo much more positive content to come in the days ahead in the form of Books, CD’s, DVD’s, MP-3’s, Podcast, Live Events, etc, etc, etc…  So keep tuning in and be sure to tell a friend or two or TEN!

I’m on a mission to help others to Make it GREAT !!! 
It just gets better from here.  So Spread the Word !!!

www.CedricCrawford.com
www.MakeItGreatNOW.com
www.YouTube.com/CedricCrawford

Meet Tommy, better known as “Smokey”.  I had the distinct privilege of meeting him while out on a photo shoot a few days ago.  On any given day he would go unnoticed by “Most People” in our society because he appears to have lost his status.  But as I’ve said before, I’m anything but “Most People”.

Smokey just-so-happened to be hanging out behind a dumpster in the alley behind a building in the downtown commercial district area of Bakersfield, CA where we were conducting our photo shoot.  I noticed him and called him over for a short chat and my photographer April Massirio snapped this photo to capture the moment. 

An outcast to most,  he quickly became a friend to me that day.  He shared a quick story with me of how he made it to Bakersfield and his continuous struggle to get back on his feet.  The main thing I noticed about Smokey during our conversation was his smile and his outgoing, energetic personality.  His ability to behave in such a manner in spite of his current situation and circumstance made me realize all over again how blessed and fortunate we are for both the little things and the not-so-little things we all have in our lives.  The real truth is, the biggest thing we have in life is “Life” itself, and that’s a great thing indeed.  

I invite you to take a short break today and take your focus off of those things you don’t have and refocus on those things that you do have.  Also realize that what you focus on most will develop in your life.

Smokey is in the “Struggle” phase of his life again and how he deals with it will dictate where he ends up and who he becomes in the process.  He made my day, so I returned the favor and made his day with a gift that made his smile even bigger.  “Thank You Cedric” he said.  “No, THANK YOU SMOKEY!”  I said.  We exchanged a few more parting words of thanks and encouragement and moved on with our lives.

I don’t know what the future holds for Smokey, but I do know who holds our future.  Our choices and decisions in these present moments will determine how that future pans out for us all.  So I say to you today, let’s all make a point to do something on a regular basis to make someone else’s day GREAT!  GO GET’EM SMOKEY!!!!!!

The Book:     “Make it GREAT”
www.MakeItGreatNOW.com

I was chatting with a good friend not long ago and she was sharing with me some of her present and past struggles and challenges, some of which have caused her a considerable amount of depression and despair.  In some of her lowest moments she has even felt herself slowly losing sight of the ultimate goals and dreams she has set for herself and have had fleeting thoughts of possibly cutting her life’s journey short. 

After several moments of discussion I reminded her of what I call the “GSTV” which is the Goal, the Struggle and the Triumphant Victory.  I’ve found that in order for any story to be inspiring it has to embody these three components.  I further reminded her that it’s the struggle and adversity that adds value to the goal or dream and without this process her story would fall short of inspiring others. 

So today I say to you who are experiencing the “S” phase of your journey to accomplishing your well-defined goal or dream.  Embrace the struggle and know the process is adding more inspiration to your personal arsenal of experiences to be shared in your compelling story later on down the road.

Hang in there today and be encouraged and know that every struggle gets you one step closer to your Triumphant Victory.  So FIGHT ON my friend for one more day and make it GREAT!

My Book is loaded with the “Good” stuff, so Pre-Order your copy TODAY and lock-in your FREE bonuses:     www.MakeItGreatNOW.com

I  was visiting the Mighty Sequoia National Forest not long ago with my family.  This is the type of trip that never gets old for me.  While walking the “Trail of the Giants” I suddenly had a “Hallelujah moment of clarity.”  Some of those great trees are a few thousand years old and almost 400 feet tall.  Although the great Sequoia Redwood trees hold the illustrious title of tallest trees in the world, the life of all of them started by one single seed.  A Redwood seed is only the size of a small oatmeal flake but overtime under the right conditions of soil, sunlight and rain they’re able to grow to the massive giants we see today. 

Then this thought suddenly hit me.  If it is true that we humans are God’s greatest creations, then inside of us we should have the potential to do things in this world that would dwarf the massiveness of the world’s largest trees.  I believe that we all are born with a seed of greatness lodged inside of us.

I heard a great speaker once say that the wealthiest place on the planet is the graveyards and cemeteries. This is because most people die without ever realizing the full potential of their seed of greatness. Most people leave this life with all of their potential still locked inside of them only to be claimed by the grave.  Only our creator knows what could’ve been created or accomplished had they realized their full potential. We must not let this be our fate.  We must commit to finding our purpose and “Why” for living and develop our full potential in this life as if our lives depend on it because our quality of life actually does depend on it.  

While on my trip to the Sequoia’s, I felt inspired to create a reminder of the seeds that created the giant trees of the Sequoia National Forest and use it to remind us of the “Seed of Greatness” that exist in all of us.  I proudly display this “dream novelty” in specific places that I can see and be reminded regularly to continue to fill my day with purpose-filled actions and pursue my goals, gifts and greatness. 

These crystal resin crafts all have one single authentic seed from a Sequoia Redwood Tree and are all hand made with love.  Only a limited number is available so start your collection today and share one with a friend or two as a gift.  We can all use a little friendly reminder every now-and-then to keep us on track and on task in this “Life” thing, especially if you’re a part of a team/organization.  We only get one time through, so let’s make our best effort to make it GREAT!

www.CedricCrawford.com/Products