Tag: #Michlit

What Really Matters?

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

American Joe Louis Fist

 

 

Black lives matter
All lives matter
LGBTQ lives matter
Brown lives matter
White lives matter

In this world where a Utopian society ceases to be
We don’t understand the world we inevitably see
The death toll of humanity would alarmingly sound
Where the bodies of the latest martyrs of incitement are found
Born into a war we were destined to fight
Where the color of skin would be the predetermined slight
Is hate the opposite where there is no choice
Or does opinion have the loudest voice
directional challenges aimed at those on the same team
purposed to divide and conquer…the age old theme
Slanderous words of ignorance formed from rage and hate
deriving from the unknown corners of mouths ready to prate
Attacks made on those whose processes are slow and silent
trying to comprehend the Universe filled with violence
trading accusations hurled with useless rhetoric
when a solution takes thought for today’s betterment
Wars and rumors of wars will always transpire
Where will today’s sacrificial lamb have a place to retire
Will it be in the streets lined with blood instead of trees
Or in a nightclub under a table shaking on your knees
Purposed to die from the time of inception
From your destiny there is no protection
In other words some of us were born to die
For a cause we were originated to buy
with the cost of our lives we were never asked
It is our slate to be our one and only task
Give up the Ghost for a chance to save humanity
If we had known our assignment would we have plead insanity
How much of a life does it really matter
When we walk among one another daily and spew hateful chatter
Until one of us dies and we forge a counterfeit alliance
Withholding our indifference and trading it in for compliance
because after the battle has been long and forgotten
We return to our state of backbiting and plottin’
Or will this all matter in the end
And a perpetual allegiance to humanity will ultimately begin
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InkMann Press–Paying Attention

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

Love, honor, and cherish the spaces that you find yourself in, for life can change rather quickly.–Kai Mann

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I have found myself in a space of take-it-all-in’edness. I know that’s not a word but it so describes the spirit I am in. I have been paying attention to what the Universe has given me privilege to partake in and to view from the seat of my own soul. Perceptions and perspectives have changed over the last twelve months allowing my spirit to open wide with transformative intentions. I would be lying if I said the entire twelve months I have gone willingly. You would have thought I would; I would’ve thought I would, but there were parts of me unwilling to open the eyes of my understanding to see past my own lids. Some things I fought against like a child holding on to its last days of childhood forbidding going into adulthood. That part of me has decreased today as the more adult me is able to talk the child into moving forward when the motion is necessary out of future pain or suffering.

 

You see, rarely do we understand that what we might feel now will not compare to what we’ll feel later if we do not move when the opportunity presents itself. If you’ve ever gotten the chance to live when others have not: or to witness life happen to someone else in a way that if misconstrued you’d get the rest of life  all wrong, then you knew that it was purpose. It was purpose that granted you access to see the view at the top of the mountain, to tell a story, to learn a lesson, or to help someone else. I thank God that I have been able to see and feel life from a different vantage point. A vantage point, that if I had not seen correctly, I would’ve missed the advantage.

 

For most of my life I hated to see people about to get into trouble, be in pain, or anything that could hurt them. I’d turn away. I couldn’t even watch a movie that I could feel the protagonist’s trouble before it happened and would get up to go do something so I wouldn’t have to watch that part of the movie. My DNA is programmed to want others to win and when it would look as if they weren’t I would turn my head away so as not to see them lose. One thing I had failed to realize was that I hated to see my own self lose. I’d turn my head away from me when I felt I was about to get into trouble, make a mistake, or be in pain just so I wouldn’t have to witness it.

 

Today what I have learned from that behavior was that the pre-warned feelings were giving me the opportunity to change course, correct my sail, or to just do something different. I hadn’t realized that my instincts were protecting me so I wouldn’t have to experience whatever trouble, mistake, or pain so drastically. Me diverting my attention or closing my eyes would cause the most intense pain because I’d still have to drive right through it even with eyes wide shut making the devastation much worse.

 

On a different street but in the same neighborhood I too realized that shying away from the experiences of others would leave me hallow. To live life as a shell of a person who lacked depth because she had denied herself the privilege of experiencing life through the eyes of another. I can’t say that it has been easy but the connections I have made just opening myself up to experiencing my own life, as well as the lives of others, has added value to my soul. No longer will I allow myself to miss out on the moments for fear that they may turn ugly, when all of life is so beautiful.

InkMann Press–Thriving

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

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We’ve been surviving for years, but when asked to thrive, the question become “how?” The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary and Thesaurus defines thriving as; to grow luxuriantly, to flourish, and to gain wealth or possessions. When we begin to ponder the evolution of thriving we must first come to the conclusion that life should be more than just a game of survival. While survival is useful at certain points in our lives, thriving leads us to do more. Thriving says that we will no longer do those things every day that doesn’t benefit us in any way, shape, or form. Thriving demands that we grow in every area of our lives.

 

Expanding past the norm, we thrive in a way that brings about transformational living in its rarest forms. This transformational living can only come when we take heed to the lessons that we’ve learned and expound upon them.  When you build upon the lesson that you learn, you create the life you want, and that is the ultimate act of thriving. Often when we learn something we learn for the moment unless it evokes some type of pain or emotion that teaches us the lesson. For some people it takes a few times of repeating the same mistake in order to really get the lesson. The others learn faster. But, when you’re able to take the lesson and put it with the other tools that you have in your tool box to master yourself; you now get the maximum benefit from the outcome.

 

Thriving insists that we thoroughly understand the lessons that we are learning and how they are unique to us. When we understand what the lesson is for we can begin to know how to use it to our advantage so that we can better serve ourselves first, and then others. Most people would have a problem with me placing ourselves first in the previous sentence but in order to serve others you must first know how to serve you. When we secure ourselves first we allow our souls to take root and cause us to be grounded. If we have no root and have not been grounded we cannot have a foundation for others to stand. When we know who we are and what we’re capable of we know our own worth and are not afraid to stand in it. So remember, the goal is to always place your oxygen mask on first, then others. We cannot thrive if we cannot survive. This was something I had to come to the understanding of when I took a look at my life personally and professionally. I knew that I wanted to be at a place where I was my best self. And I knew that being my best or highest self required a bit more thought, planning, strategy, and execution. I chose to expend the energy to learn consistently in a way that would instill the lessons deep inside through repetition.

 

One day while planning how I would give my clients the best customer service: I perceived that I had to serve them in a different way to begin the shift for the future. I had been schooled on how that everything I did for my clients should be based upon where my company was headed and not where it was. I would always be ahead of the game if I planned it that way. A thriving company prepares for the here-after; even if you’re unsure there will be one. In planning how to best service them I recall that I still had to serve them while maintaining the things I was already committed to doing, as well as those tasks I had to do for myself. This meant that I had to step my game up a couple of notches if I wanted to ensure balance and order, personally as well. It was important for me to keep balance in order to thrive. Thriving goes past survival: it’s where you go to reach your dreams and create new ones. The goal of thriving is made manifest when everything in your world at any given time is spinning on its axis harmoniously and consistently.

 

I can remember rushing to get through lessons not comprehending that rushing causes you to miss things because you can’t see them correctly. I became aware that there was no need to rush when you were prepared. Being prepared meant life would go easier than it would if you were not. For example, if you iron your clothes for the week, or maybe even the night before, the next morning you don’t have to rush because everything is already done.  All you need to do is shower, brush your teeth, jump in your clothes, brush your hair, and go. It’s as simple as that; but when we choose not to be prepared we do not allow ourselves a chance to be our best.

 

Life will always require you to kick it up a notch when you have been privy to the most amazing experiences. Remember, to whom much is given, much is required. Don’t worry though; this is where you get to see what you’re made of.  In order to keep up and have balance all at the same time you must reinvent yourself before you have to. I say ‘before’ simply because you are not ready for the future right now; you have to be made ready for it. It’s called preparation for what’s to come.

 

One day after a shower I looked in the mirror at myself. I looked at the shape of my face, my eyes, my body, and afterwards, I looked at my mind. Not physically of course, but in retrospection and also in the future. In getting with myself I learned to allow myself the space to settle within for a moment. I didn’t rush the process, lessons, time, or the space. I allowed myself time to receive all that the Creator has for me. And when I opened myself up, I allowed the most creative space I’ve ever seen to come from me. It has been a life of trial and error but the intention has always remained the same, to be the best me I can possibly be. I will continue to thrive because I am intentional about it. I’ve learned to schedule out my life to create balance and organization. For me this has been most important to accomplish because we always want to be a benefit to others but when we’re all over the place it’s hard to do that.

 

God has always carefully and strategically changed my scenery to teach me lessons I would use for the future. As I understand it more, I begin to look for the changes to occur and look forward to what I’ll learn next. So far I’ve learned that what you do in your personal life translates into your business life. When we allow ourselves to change what we’re doing, to accommodate where we are going, we design a better course for our lives. What more than a designer life created by you, made by the decisions you made based upon where you wanted to go.

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Twitter: @Kaiology

Facebook: Kai Mann Fan Page

 

 

The InkMann Press–Self Love & Self Growth

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

The InkMann Press Series- Self Love & Self Growth

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Recently I had someone ask me what my 2016 mission was and I was happy to say that my Life’s mission has not changed. Self-love and Self-growth have been the glue holding me together for most of my life. Even at a young age I had an appreciation for self development and understood that I had to be an advocate for my own growth. My goal has been to learn, grow, expand and excel on every level. Although I’d have to admit that I am not a traditionalist I am learned by way of spirit; A lifelong student of sorts but at the same time, a teacher. In learning to love myself, I have learned new ways to love others.  Often times I’m encouraged to share pieces of my experiences as the way that I see things sometimes can be different.  It’s funny because I thought we all think different since we all come from different perspectives. Anyway, in retrospect I decided to share, and thus the InkMann Press Series was created.

 

In the beginning I found myself on a quest to transcend any previous images that I had for myself. I wanted to write about how I challenged the innermost parts of me to go beyond the superficialities of life into something deeper. In previous blog posts I wrote with references to mastering yourself, learning from your lessons, letting go of ego, and forgiveness. I chose to write on these areas because they can all effect positive change. Letting go of old and outdated thinking patterns gives way to new tools that we can use to heal and to forgive ourselves. I realize that the moment we learn who we are and what we can do, we are able to increase and expand our potential.

 

Writing has been my passion since I was about twelve years old. It has been the way that I have communicated with life. My bond to writing comes from a need to release, and sometimes purge. In either case, my hope is that my writing will either water or plant a seed to inspire growth and change in the heart of one who needs it most.

 

Writing is an intimate gift. It is the formation of letters to make words that bring a connection between it and the reader. It’s a transformation of energies to bring a specific level of understanding.  My intention with The InkMann Press Series has been to inspire and motivate others to cultivate their own self awareness, self love, and self growth.  Remember, like minds, light minds.

 

If you have been inspired to pursue your passion, forgive, let go, move forward, or anything of the sort you know that it takes work. Being willing alone is not enough. There are many who will say “its grind time” but never end up grinding because grinding is synonymous with work. Work that they never anticipated doing. And because work implies tasks, jobs, duties, assignments, and projects they forgo the effort. For those of you who tackle the work relentlessly to work on yourself to improve your way of life, kudos to you.  Your strength is impeccable. It is only the minds of strong people who are willing to hold themselves accountable, stay the course, and do the work. It is you who truly understands that to be great you must be strong, and that strength never comes from the outside it comes from within.

 

Thank you for coming over to the Kai Mann blog to read the InkMann Press Series. May you be strong in all that you do so that you will inevitably increase your potential at every level. Now, go be GREAT!

InkMann Press Series ~ Divine Order

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

I’ve been taking a part my life lately and I can see how things would’ve been different if I chose a different path. Although I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve made some serious sacrifices, my belief is that the reward will be in line with my purpose. In the end I know that the fruit will bear witness to the sacrifice. As a matter of fact, I believe that my life is in Divine Order.

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When I began to take a part the fabric of my life I saw first how I’ve moved in the world. I saw how I’ve mastered the skill of detachment. A gift given to me when I was about two years old and have since perfected.  Many people would not see being detached as a gift but a flaw. A character flaw no doubt because most people associate being detached with being aloof or an unloving act. That couldn’t be farthest from the truth. When someone detaches from you it doesn’t mean that they don’t love you, it just means there is something more at work.

When we realize that there is something more at work we can see that every one of us on the planet has a specific job to do.  Each job comes with different tasks as well as different set of skills needed to carry out the purpose or plan.  The job or purpose of some seems to lack value when you look at them individually, but when you take a look at it as a whole you’ll see that it is all part of a bigger plan.

There have been times when I for sure knew what the plan was and drove head long towards the mark. Then there were times that I felt like I was losing or as if what I was doing was wrong. But when I looked deeper I was able to see the vision with purpose in mind. The doubt has since subsided and now I am willing to look ridiculous to get something I’ve never had but I know that I want.

Since I’ve been dissecting myself, I’m finding the intricacies of how I work, and how I operate best. I could not have done this work without going within to that deep place inside.

In the beginning that deep place inside felt alone  and  I didn’t understand fully why it needed to be that way. Once I reconciled that I needed to be alone, I knew that I would have less distraction and could work on me and put my energy and focus into me. That’s when I began to feel differently. I sought the knowledge of self so that I could get back to self. The self I had lost through trial and error. While alone, I dealt with the things that could’ve left me scarred forever, feeling guilty and ashamed. Especially at times when I wasn’t as strong and positive as I had always appeared to be.  But, no matter how hard it was I was determined to do it. I was determined to deal with my issues for my future self and for the future people that would get to experience me because I now wanted to give my best self to the world.

As I sat many times before, I questioned what the best me would look like and what that person would have to offer. Then it came to me that before I could offer anything to the world, I first needed healing. Healing from all of the things that has happened to turn my world inside out, a healing that only comes from the core.  The kind of healing that you can only get from forgiveness. Not the forgiveness of anyone else but you. A required forgiveness from within.

Most of us hardly ever think to forgive ourselves for things that we’ve done to us; but we even forget to forgive ourselves for things that others have done to us, or things that we have allowed to happen to us. Most of all, we need to forgive ourselves for the things that almost destroyed us and kept us from moving to a new dimension. Once we have done that, then and only then can we start to become our best selves.

That too would not be easy. but the first step to forgiving was to deal with all of the issues. Although uncomfortable I had a need to get down to the core of the issue because I knew that issues that weren’t dealt with would cause discomfort. The mere fact that something would cause discomfort is a clue that I must not only look at it but I had to do my best to find a way through it. When I began to work through my issues I began to strengthen my core. My foundation worked to become rock solid because I always wanted to do my best.

Most people think Divine Order is a perfect life without mistakes or flaws but that is so untrue. Divine Order is a continual process that allows for mistakes as well as correction. Divine Order is the process in which it takes from conception until the return to spirit. It is all Divine Order since it all is of the spirit.

InkMann Press Series ~ The Weekend

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

PicsArt_11-23-08.43.31Today I was going over my weekend in my head and I wasn’t certain how it had gone.  After thinking about the plans that I had set for the weekend, I realized that I had done everything I set out to do. Although everything went as planned it was my mulling over my intentions that made me feel like something was missing. In reflecting over the events of the weekend I came across some weak spots; the kind of weak spots where you know for certain that you could’ve done better.  My instant response was  for me to be disappointed for a moment but I knew I couldn’t stay and needed to change my thinking so I told myself that I had to do better the next time.

I truly feel proud as I realized that I could change the tone of my life by changing the conversation that I have with myself. And I am excited to know that with small changes you can have big victories and in turn get everything in life that you are working hard for. I often times have to remind myself like many I have a ways to go but it’s not as far as I think. And I know for sure that it’s the staying the course that will help you grow.

I must be transparent and admit that I have schisms at times, but who doesn’t. I’ve seen those schisms appear when the Universe has granted me the things I’ve stated that I wanted most, as well as what I convinced myself that I could handle.  I think the problem was that I wasn’t fully aware of all the necessary things that I’d have to do to get it, keep it, and maintain it.

I’ve always said that I wanted to be in a space where I’m able to grow and reach my fullest potential. But I never counted on having to be taught, chastised, or challenged. It’s through this entire growing process that I’ve learned how to put my ego in check and put things into perspective, and lead with wisdom.

I recognize my own human frailties and realize that if you have a vision for yourself allowing ego to rise up and stay will get you nowhere and keep you stuck right where you are.

You ever have someone try to talk to you about you but you’ve been doing you for so long that your schisms have become habits? You don’t even know that you have these schismatic habits until someone pulls your coat tail and you’re face to face with yourself. It’s those times that you’re forced to really look at you, and all that you do.

When you’re walking in ego and your habits are called into question your feelings get hurt and you feel like your toes have gotten stepped on. Usually one of two things will happen; you’ll either go off on the person that you feel stepped on your toes and act like they’re wrong for doing so. Or you’ll let it burn for about 3 seconds, swallow, and then take a look at what they’re saying from a different angle. The key is to always go outside of yourself to feel what they see. Their response to you might have something to do with what ‘you’ do and how ‘you’ do it. I had to admit that when others tell you about you it doesn’t always feel good. But in fact that is what is needed some times. Now the question is; what will you do? Hopefully the answer is that you’ll tell the ego to go sit down somewhere, take the information as it is given, find out where the issue comes from, release it, and change the behavior?  If you don’t, ego will leave you in places you didn’t want to be. Places you look up from many years later to see past opportunities not taken. When we know better we should do better.

All of that is what I got from my weekend when I recognized some of the weak spots that had taken place and why they had taken place. You’re probably wondering why I was going over my weekend looking for weak spots in the first place.  I vowed about eight months ago that I wouldn’t do anything else half way again. No matter where I am in life I want to always strive to better myself in every area.  The truth is I have a new found respect for self improvement and doing the work that makes the work the best work that can ever be done.

 

 

InkMann Press Series –Letting Go Of Ego

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

Sometimes the challenge is to put ego aside; especially when you’re coming to know what ego really is. Old patterns and habits are hardest to break.

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There are times that we need someone to bounce ideas off of and for many of us that someone is our partner or closest friend. When we’re looking to share we usually go to someone who has insight into the things that we would like to accomplish. Often we have the problem of  sharing at first because those are our most intimate thoughts about our hopes and dreams.  As I thought about this  I realized that I had to put down my ego if I wanted to learn and grow. I had to be able to hear the truth about my ideas, hopes, dreams, and whatever else I was trying to do. I don’t know if it’s because we think that we are submitting our best, or what. I am not yet certain that when the time comes for our partner or friend to challenge us to dig deeper  why we sort of feel threatened a bit.  Like we’ve been attacked.

It isn’t until we can understand that the person we’ve entrusted our most intimate thoughts with, would not hurt us. That the only answer has to be that they’re pushing us to do better. They are pushing us to do better because they see our potential. So. I’ve decided to do things a bit different because I believe that the person that I’ve chosen to be on my team, wants me to win. Why else would they be pushing me to do more and to be more.

Afraid

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

In the past

I’ve been afraid

Afraid to say “I need more”

thinking that you’d

think I was weak

Been afraid to be ‘happy’

thought I didn’t

deserve it

not really

I never said it

to myself

at least not out loud

but all of my

actions said so

carrying old wounds

scars

bruises

and

bites

like a wounded SOULjah

Every piece of negativity

stuck to me

but I wouldn’t

allow myself

to feel it

so I wore it

like a badge of HONOR

today I’m scraping off

dead skin

and picking sores

I know it sounds gross

it is

I’m letting myself

feel

and

deciding what I

want to do with that emotion

by evoking some

personal healing

“Heal thyself”

is all I

can think

of

it’s not easy though

you have to tell on

yourself

to yourself

be HONEST

and deal from a different

level

you gotta open yourself

more than you ever

have

checking with you

to see how you

feel

so you don’t

get lost

Been lost

a lot

too old for that

don’t have

long enough

for it

either

But I  now choose

“Happy”

I remind myself when I forget. ~ KaiologyInk

#Kaism #Kai2pointO

Watching Miracles

by Kai Mann, posted in Uncategorized

I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to go through a Job type situation. Not that I wanted to go through it myself. I knew it could be tough but to watch someone else grow through it the way that they are, I guess you can take it a couple of ways.  Me, I prefer to think that nothing is in vain. There’s something to be gained from ‘All” things and to have a close-up view in such a unique way is such a blessing. You find out who you are and what you truly believe when the struggle is yours to be responsible for. You’re either the bearer of it or the witness to it. You have a responsibility to be present ‘in’ it. #KaiologyInk #Kaism #Kai2pointO