For the Dreamers...

I saw this on Tyler Perry's page and wanted to share it with you all for some mid-week motivation. This is for all of you who are feeling that frustration with where you are at in life and are at the point of giving up to accept mediocrity because you don't see how you can make the dream placed in your heart possible. I've been there before. I think that anyone who has been successful has wanted to give up at least once but more realistically many many times. Don't give up. This is your time to strengthen your faith in yourself and in the plan for your life.

Check out what Tyler had to say about this here: 

THIS IS FOR FRUSTRATED DREAMERS

I was driving in to work this morning and I started thinking about all the days I dreaded going to work. I was so sick of it… the job, my boss, the people I worked with, the traffic… I would wake up angry every morning. I didn’t want to deal with the crap of the job, but I was forced to go. I had been homeless, I was broke, living paycheck to hopefully the next paycheck. I couldn’t take a day off for fear I would get fired. I was just frustrated. I thought I hated my life and the job.

It was so aggravating because God had placed all these dreams and hopes in my soul and mind and I had no idea how they were going to come to pass. To have a dream of being something better and living better than the way I was at that moment and to not see a way of getting there felt like death to me. I thought, “Dear God, why would you give me so much hope and not make a way?” But what I learned through prayer was, with no path in front of you and no road map… this is where true faith begins. With faith I realized that I wasn’t frustrated with my life or the job, I was frustrated because I was a person who had dreams for myself, a person who had visions for my life and I wasn’t living it. Have you ever been there, where you felt so strongly that there was more to this life than what you see in front of you?

One of the most difficult things about being a dreamer is the fear that the dream will never happen. I’m here as a living witness to tell you your dreams can come true. You can’t give up. And I am here to let you know that everything can work together for your good. The time that you are spending on that job that you think is a dead end is not. You’re being prepared just like I was. I was a shoeshine boy, I worked as a bill collector, a used car salesman, in housekeeping in a hotel, and they all were preparation for where I am now.

What do these things have to do with where I am now? I’m glad you asked. I am able to use skills that I learned. I shined shoes, so I know how to shine my shoes if I need them to look nice. Selling used cars was a great way to learn how to close a deal. Bill collecting taught me great negotiation skills. Working at that 5-star hotel taught me a lot about travel. Every experience in your life is here to teach you something.

Today, while you’re at work, don’t be frustrated. Look around you and ask God what are you there to learn and how will it be a part of your future dream. Honor that job, do the best you can at it, because God will bless you for honoring something that belongs to another.

I hope this inspires you today. If you need a little more inspiration then watch my first sit-down interview in years with Oprah on Oprah's Next Chapter. It airs this Sunday on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network at 9/8c. I talk a little about not giving up. I know it will move you.

Here’s a prayer for today: “God help me hold on, help me to get to what I dream of, help me to honor where I am today so that I can appreciate where I will be tomorrow. In Jesus' name.”

Beyonce, It's Okay to Take a Break!

We can say that it’s official; the year of Beyonce is here because as soon as 2013 started she has been everywhere – Pepsi ads, H&M campaigns, singing the National Anthem for the president, her SuperBowl concert, magazines, etc. Fan or not of Beyonce, I think the one thing that you can respect and appreciate about her is her seemingly great work ethic. She seems to be able to push herself as an artist so that she can live and breathe the music that she loves. Between balancing being an international star, new mother and simply living her life as a young womyn, she has to be extremely driven and disciplined.

But, what I realized this week is less about Beyonce and more about the idea of womyn pushing themselves too hard (to the detriment of their health) on their path to achieving great things. This week, Beyonce cancelled one of her performances in Belgium citing exhaustion and dehydration. But, the next night she was back on stage doing the “Single Ladies” dance! She said, she was performing against doctor’s orders but she wanted to be there, she had never missed a performance before last night. Who can relate to that – feeling exhausted, sick or simply pushed to your limit but you continue to press on because you have people depending on you to show up every day? I’m not saying that she needs to take an extended break or you need to put aside your responsibilities, but sometimes you need to give your mind, body and soul the ability to relax and recharge so that you can fully be present to take on whatever you have on your to-do list. I’ve been there, because I’ve always had all these big dreams that I’ve been determined to actualize so I work hard from the crack of dawn to night trying to make things happen. I’ve definitely pushed my body to the max many times. But, I’m also not afraid to take a day to be alone with myself, lie in my bed and read a good book or catch up on movies on Netflix.

Sometimes life can’t be completely balanced but the best advice that I’ve heard is to simply listen to your body, don’t push it too hard. Don’t be afraid to say that you need a few minutes, hours or days to recharge. Beyonce, needs to listen to her body (and her doctors) - take a break! And to you, please take this weekend or even just a couple of hours on Saturday or Sunday to just be alone with yourself (read, take a long bath, garden, sleep! etc) and not attack your to-do list.

Meet me in the comments, tell me what your rest time or “nothing” will look like this weekend?

MONDAY MOTIVATION: Who's Going to Believe in Your Dreams But You?

 

By: Safia Bartholomew

There's something about seeing a woman who knows who she is at her core, that is so beautiful. A woman that is filled with the wisdom and self-awareness to have a vision of her goals, she knows the boundaries of what she will tolerate as well as the knowledge of what lengths she will go to achieve what is in her heart. This past Saturday, I attended trey's Millionaire Artist workshop and the thing that resonated with me the most was the feeling of being witness to a glow of self-awareness that circled trey and the 4 women panelists that spoke - Olunike Adeliyi, Cindy Ashton, Shannon Skinner, and Denise Bukowski. They all shared their stories of struggle and every obstacle they faced that should have been reason for them not to pursue their dreams, but they didn't listen to that inner voice of fear or any of the outer noise.

The greatest lesson that I took away from the workshop is that there is no point in waiting for perfection to pursue your dreams, because perfection doesn't exist. So many of us are waiting for the right situation, or to meet the right person, or to look Halle Berry pretty. We sit waiting for the confidence to suddenly come to us first before we decide to take the steps to create our vision. But in actuality, confidence comes from pursuing your dreams despite not feeling pretty, or confident but from doing it anyway. The only path to greatness is to stumble then pick yourself up, to shut out the voice of your fears, silence the noise of naysayers and most importantly, to build a belief in oneself that is unshakable. As trey shared, "I'm not arrogant, I'm convinced. There is nothing wrong with believing that you are great. Say it daily to yourself." We ended the day off with everyone standing and shouting out their greatness in unison.

I left the workshop feeling inspired and grateful for all of the ladies that spoke that day. For sharing their stories, advice and by showing us all that real beauty is in absolute confidence. It's a trait that I aspire to stand in and that I believe every woman and man deserves to possess. Scrolling through some of the attendees' Tweets, I realized that many shared my exact sentiment and takeaway:

Did any of you attend trey's workshop this past weekend? What stood out to you? Meet me in the comments section and share the lesson that resonated with you the most!

I Ain't Got Time For Dis!

I've been known to be a straight shooter! And one of the things I have little to no tolerance for are people who complain about stuff but do little to make any changes in their lives. You know the ones? The ones who constantly complain about all the stuff that's not working in their lives.... or maybe you are that person, the person who can't stand their job, can't stand their husband/wife, can't stand the colour of their socks! The list is endless. But day after day, month after month, year after year..... they are doing the same thing wearing the same damn socks! and doing absolutely -----NOTHING to change their circumstances!!!!

I constantly get emails from artistic folks who dream about making it in the industry. They will send me a random email or stop me in the street asking for advice on how to make it,   demanding information!  Yet, when I tell them about my upcoming workshops, they have every excuse in the book of why this time, once again, they won't be able to make it!!! Sabotaging themselves before they even start!

Well, as my mother would say, "I'm done talking! I ain't got time for dis!!!" I'm interested in helping folks who are people of action not talk! So if you want to make some changes in your career, and your life, the  workshop this Saturday is for you! Stop with the excuses and do something different!

There are only 22 tixs left!!! 22??? Are you going to be the person who sits at home again this Saturday complaining or are you going to be the person who is going to take a pro active role in changing your life, be inspired, and network with like minded people! Who do you want to be this year?

Check this new link out to find out what folks have to say! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqmh4czoc9w

Please note we will be seating folks with advance tickets first and accommodating walk ups, on a first come, first serve. Guarantee your seat and register over at Eventbrite. We are also accepting email money transfers at trey@treyanthonystudios.com

MONDAY MOTIVATION: Jada Pinkett's Message to the Dream Stealers

 

One of the most important aspects of being in a relationship is having someone who supports not only  the person that you are within the relationship, but also the person you are becoming or have always dreamed of being. If you have a dream of being an actress, a writer, singer, CEO of a Fortune 500 company, whatever the dream is that you hold in your heart, your significant other should not only support that but be actively engaged in your passion. If you are a writer, at the very minimum, your partner should read a few of your pieces. I received an amazing email from a man a month ago who wanted to inquire about my coaching packages and upcoming Millionaire Artist workshop for his girlfriend. In the email, he spoke about his belief in his girlfriend's talent as a designer despite her own doubt and that he wants to help her take the steps towards pursuing her vision. I loved this because this is what a partner should be!

Another issue that many people relate to is the feeling that one has to give up on their dreams once they settle down and have a family. While taking care of a family and pursuing a dream that may not initially offer stability can be overwhelming and scary, it is possible. Jada Pinkett Smith, a womyn who has successfully juggled a career and family, had a few things to say about this problem:

Dream stealers…
I think one of the worst atrocities we can commit on people we say we love is to steal their dreams through our overbearing expectations. Whether we steal dreams consciously or unconsciously, it renders the same effect…RESENTMENT.

Someone we say we love should NEVER be forced to choose having your love and support over having their dreams. There is a way to have BOTH.

The scary part is that most of the time we may be infringing on the dreams of others in order to fulfill a dream of our own. Partnership, parenting, marriage should reflect the desire to help each other build fulfilling lives for all parties involved. You’ve got ONE life ( that we know of ). LIVE IT…to the FULLEST!
BUILD on your dreams and on the dreams of those you love…TODAY!

Surround yourself with people that believe in and support your dreams and stay focused on the vision that you have for yourself. If not, you will find yourself living a life filled with doubt, regret and resentment. Think about what an awesome example that will be for your children as they will look up to "mommy / daddy" who made their dreams happen despite having to put food on the table and provide for X amount of kids. If you believe that it is possible, then your children will believe this as well for their future dreams.

I will be sharing a few stories of my own at The Millionaire Artist workshop this Saturday February 2nd. Secure your seat and register here: Millionaire Artist Eventbrite. Only a few spots left!

Do at least 1 thing today that focuses on and invests in your dreams. I dare you!

Happy Monday!

Nobody Knows My Name! The Value of Personal Branding with Shannon Skinner & Artist Challenge Day 4

When it comes to personal branding, Shannon Skinner has managed to create a brand that is authentic to her passions and purpose. Her resume is quite extensive: creator/ host of a talk show, author, inspirational speaker and public relations professional. When it comes to introducing yourself as an artist to the world, Shannon understands the value of being your own promoter, showing the world exactly who you are and going for what you want despite the fear that may try to convince you to sit in standstill. I’m so happy to have Shannon come speak at The Millionaire Artist workshop on February 2nd!

Here are 3 lessons I believe Shannon will be able to offer you all:

On pursuing your dreams despite the fear

When I had the idea of creating my talk show Extraordinary Women TV with Shannon Skinner, I had a lot of fear and, although I knew I would do it "one day," I was waiting for all the conditions to be right. I had envisioned doing something like this since I was a child, as I was born and raised in a family of television broadcasters. I spent much of my youth in a television station. But instead of doing it, I sat on the idea. Fast-forward...one beautiful summer evening in 2010, a good friend of mine gave me some bad news: he had less than one year to live. Shocked and saddened, I later asked myself a question: "If I had one year to live, what would I do?" That quality question pushed me past my fears and other obstacles, and within a short time I birthed my show -- and my new career was started. I since realized that conditions will rarely be right to follow your heart, so you just have to do it.

The importance of having an inspirational source to continually refer to when needed

"The Whispering Heart: Your Inner Guide to Creativity" is a book I wrote a few years ago. It is my favourite book, not because I wrote it, but because I keep re-reading it to take my own advice when I need a courage boost or clarity.

Putting your best foot forward & creating a great impression is just as much about creating the right appearance as it is about your talent.

The best advice I’ve received in this industry is to never wear short skirts or dresses for television interviews.

Artist Tip #4: Nobody Knows My Name! Tell the World Who You Are!

It's never too early to tell the world what you do and who you are! Usually when I start working with my coaching clients, their first complaint and biggest concern they share is that no one knows who they are! They then proceed to tell me they aren't "big" enough yet, to have a following or it too soon to think about branding themselves!!! 

Well, how do you think you are going to start to build a following unless you start today??? 

When I first started in the business, my first show was in a Brampton Public Library, I had about four people in the audience! And two of them were family members who felt sorry for me, so they showed up! But even back then I knew the importance of branding and building my audience. I faithfully mailed out flyers, and newsletters monthly! Yes mailed them! Licked envelopes! Remember those days?! There was no internet or Facebook back then!  

My shows eventually grew from 4 people to 10, to 100, to 1000, and now 'da Kink in my hair theatrical show has been seen by over 125,000 people! Not bad for a person who had four people at her first show!  

START TODAY--- start to think about how to build your audience and how to find clients for your work. Start by buying your domain name, start a fan page on Facebook, get a twitter account, get a Youtube channel, create a website, start a blog...  Let people know what you are doing!

At the workshop I will give several valuable tips on how to grow your audience and how to let the world know who you are! I will also let you know a secret tip on how to immediately make your brand/ yourself look more professional! It works every time trust me! See you there! 

****** Today's give away, the seventh person to Facebook me and say, “I want to know how to get paid and paid now!” will win a ticket to my Millionaire Artist workshop! 

The Millionaire Artist Challenge Day 2: Which Route Are You Taking To Success?

 Day 2: MILLIONAIRE ARTIST TIP - Always create a mini schedule for your day.

Always have a road map to where you are going and what needs to be done!  Before I check email, go on the phone, write or do anything I create a schedule for my day every day! * I will go into more details at the Millionaire Artist Workshop on February 2nd on how to do this and how to avoid procrastinating on facebook! 

An artist must always have a road map! Have a plan for your day and have a sense of what you wish to accomplish and the time frame to do it!

And remember to turn off your phone, allot a certain time in your day to respond to and answer the phone!

Remember to register for the Millionaire Artist workshop on February 2nd go to www.millionaireartist.eventbrite.ca spaces filling up quickly!

Remember to tweet, or facebook me to let me know how the challenge is going for you! If you missed Day 1 check it out here. Join us!

Invest in YOU: Back by Popular Demand, Excited to Announce Details For the Millionaire Artist Workshop!

Psst!!! Hey you! Yes, I'm talking to you!  

Remember your new year's resolution to finally pursue your artistic dreams? To FINALLY take your art more seriously? To FINALLY start getting paid for your creativity? Well this workshop is for you! Back by popular demand! My 2nd Millionaire Artist Workshop! 

Register now, spaces are limited! 

We have a power house line-up of speakers that will definitely get you excited and give you the information to make 2013 YOUR YEAR OF ACTION! 

Register now before we sell out! 

For more information and to register, click here: www.millionaireartist.eventbrite.ca or call 647.771.7086

Have You Deferred Your Dreams to Pay Your Rent??

LOVE this!! Saw this post on Facebook a couple of days ago and I had to share with you all. Doesn't this ring true for so many of us?

There are too many of us that continually defer our dreams because reality keeps knocking us back down on our feet, or because we are waiting for the right opportunity/circumstance. We tell ourselves, "I'll just wait until I save up a little more cash, then..." or "2012 is gonna be my year!" only for the year to pass and you have yet to act on your dreams.

What about those of us who are pursuing our dreams but often end up selling ourselves short to pay the rent or just "get-by". We say that we are just going to take "one more" free gig or take that job we know we deserve to get paid more for but are afraid to ask. In order to grow into our dreams we need to recognize our VALUE and WORTH. Do not short change yourself, you deserve so much more!

Providing for yourself and/or your family is an important responsibility but loving yourself enough to pursue what is in your heart is so important too. Life will provide a lot of roadblocks and awful realities but anyone who's successful will tell you that they went through the same and more to get to where they are. Having faith in yourself, in your talent and in your strength will help you to somehow find a way to make it happen. Trust me, I had no idea that I could achieve all that I have as a girl from Rexdale but I did because I persevered and I believed.

Real success is waiting for you OUTSIDE of your comfort zone- take a chance! No more timidly dipping your toes in to test the waters. Jump in, get that hair wet! See what happens, I bet you won't regret it.

If you haven't already, check out details on my Artist Millionaire Workshop here. This one day workshop will give you real talk advice on how to plan for and live your dreams.

To register please call: 647-771-7086 or email info@treyanthonystudios.com

I want to hear from you! Tell me what your BIG dream is and what step you are going to take TODAY to achieve it?