A Quick Life Snatch

by: Tabitha D. James

First things first, let me provide some context around the title for folks in the audience who may not be familiar with the terminology. According to my friends over at Urban Dictionary , snatched has taken the place of slang colloquialisms such as "on fleek", "slayed", "on point", etc. For lack of better terms this piece is a quick inspirational message to help you get your life, mind and whole existence together.

Second ground rule, this may not be for you if: you are 1) not in a season of growth, 2) not preparing for a season of growth or 3) open-minded to an opinion that may indeed be different than that of your own. You can politely exit now and I won't be offended because this is a segment for the person growing, aspiring to grow or just simply open-minded and interested in seeing what it's about. 

Made it this far? Cool - let's chat! 

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​Trying to juggle yourself, your family, your personal life, your career, your health, your well-being and the list goes on --- is HARD! Yes, we're eating Kale and juicing but what are we feeding our minds? How often are we taking time to reflect on what's really going on? I said this would be quick, so let me get to the point, the meat and potatoes Sounds and Surroundings - that's it - two very powerful things . . Let's go! 

Sounds

Sounds, auditory impressions . . What are you hearing? What are you listening to? Who are you listening to? How is it impacting your life?

What do you listen to in the car or at your desk? Trap? Gospel? Soul? Pop? A combination of it all? No music -- Podcast? Radio interviews? The news? -- Whatever it is, be sure it is serving you because in this season I am challenging you to be intentional with what you hear, the sounds you consume. Auditory IMPRESSIONS, meaning they don't just come and go, they leave something. Sounds have an impact. On personal account, I have decreased my music consumption by 85 percent. I am typically listening to inspirational podcast, business podcast, sermons or occasional news. When I do consume music it is typically old hits, gospel or smooth jazz. Not because i don't enjoy hip-hop but because in this season I need the words, melodies and all else to reflect what I desire to consume. 

Now don't run and say I told you not to listen to music because that's not where I'm going with this. I am however challenging you to pay attention to what you are listening to in this season. The music types, the news/media you're consuming, the podcasts (yes, podcast, they exist and they're dope) -- all of that matter -- let's a go a bit deeper to add the people you are talking to -- who is in your ear? 

Surroundings 

Who are your people? What are your typical conversation topics? Are you talking abundance and growth or drama and confusion? Do you feel fulfilled after the chat(s) or so drained that you need a nap? Take a few minutes to access your CURRENT surroundings . . . Okay minutes up -- are the people you are currently allowing to speak to you, borrow your time and have the privilege of being in your space worthy? Are they healthy for who you are becoming? If you are feeling a little uneasy and wondering if your surroundings are tainted . . sad news . .they probably are, however it is OKAY! We all get stuck in toxic environments every now and again especially with our loved ones, friends and colleagues. Often times these are people we spend the bulk of our time with and become numb to their actual impact on our thoughts and well-being. Here's my OPINION -- decide rather you need to let them go indefinitely (some folks are seasonal), put them on pause (take a little break) or keep them while lessening the time you spend in their presence. This is GOLDEN in the snatch! Don't drop the ball on this one! 

While working to "gather your life", having like-minded individuals in your circle is like finding water in the middle of the desert - JACKPOT! While aligning with like-minded folks (because I know you will if this is a problem area) remember to mix in peers, superiors and those who are as driven as yourself but may be in a completely different industry. Well-versed, valuable connections have the ability to take you from idea to incubation, from depressed to destiny, from dreaming to doing. Don't believe me -- try it! If your surroundings are already TOP-NOTCH, I have unique challenge for you -- make those resources WORK FOR YOU! Get out of your own way, take some risks and level-up using your established network! 

The Snatch

Alright , we talked sounds, we talked surroundings . . now it's time to talk about the snatch. I am guaranteeing you (yep, I am just that confident) that if you pay more attention to what you hear, what you say, who you chat with and the actions you take as a result -- you will inertly see what gaps exist in your current life structure. You will begin to see who and what can go. You will develop your own "snatch formula" that will help you to "snatch your life". We deserve a quick snatch, not only because as I type this we are just shy of one month from a new year but also because it's time. We've been working, we've been developing -- it's time to be intentional of our auditory consumption, the space between our ears is precious, let's treat it as such.

There you have it, a quick snatch -- have a beautiful holiday season and end of the year. If you're reading this later than the original post date, it's okay, everyday can be the start of the new year or season :) Never stop growing! 

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Hi! I'm Tabitha "Tiny Tab" James, I reside in small town America and I specialize in coffee drinking, mentoring, strategy and a hit of constructive sarcasm. A few years ago (like ten now) I decided to just go for it. What is "it" -- not sure, still chasing it! I want to WIN, success is attainable and I believe that -- life is a journey not a destination; I'm enjoying the trip, join me! 

Let's Connect - Feel free to find me on your favorite platform: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.