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"We Can Sit Back and Watch As the World Goes By
or
We Can Find Opportunities to Make It Better."
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Forward to Everyone You Know.
This week's action plan:
1. Check in on family during Thanksgiving, especially Senior Citizens and read
"Golden Years: How To Age Gracefully and Take Care of Seniors"
2. Boycott Black Friday and fall out of love with materialistic things and in love with your ownself.
Check in On Your Family During Thanksgiving
Nov. 24, 2015
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reach out to those family members and others that you deeply care about to let them know that you care.
We need to try a little harder to reach one another to make sure that everyone is okay.
Today I am reposting this blog post so that others who are also "Black Sheeps" understand their rolls in society today.
Ba Ba Black Sheep
Don't follow the crowd -
Stand Out and Dare To Be Different
There is a saying that "You Can Forgive, But You Never Forget." My life has been an open book from the very beginning.
A few years ago I would have been too ashamed to write this blog but not today. If my story can heal and help just one person move on with their lives, then I would have done my job by writing it.
On Oprah's show recently she interviewed 5 sisters who had been bickering their whole lives. Even though they seemed to blame one sister for all the turmoil, it was clear that not one person was to blame for their dilemma.
From an early age, I learned beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was indeed the family's "black sheep." The dictionary defines a "black sheep" as a person who causes shame or embarrassment because of deviation from the accepted standards of his or her group.
One of the stories I will never forget and which still haunt me until this day is when I would wait for the school bus with my siblings in either cold or hot weather and right before the bus pulled up to our driveway, my sisters would jerk my stack of books out of my hands and throw them into the bushes -- so that I would be late getting on the school bus.
Meanwhile they would tell everyone on the bus about the 'mean-spirited' act they committed, while everyone laughed at me. These types of 'mean-spirited' acts occurred many times during my younger years. Today we know this to be known as "bullying."
Let me start from the beginning. I grew up in a small rural Georgia town, about 7 miles from the Alabama State Line. I was the sixth of nine children, born to parents whose primary livelihood came from farming.
My father worked in a factory to pay the bills. My mother was a housewife who stayed home to raise her children and tend the farm.
She cleaned other people's houses sometimes for extra income. After her children were older, my mother also went to work at one of the local factories.
Even though my childhood could be described as underprivileged, I always felt rich because of the upbringing and values instilled in me as a child.
My mother always taught me to "treat others the way you want to be treated. Always respect others, especially the elderly, she would say, because you are going to be old one day."
I remembered her wise words, "If you must choose between right and wrong, choose right!" Her advice would serve me well later in my life, especially when I became a "federal whistleblower" "The Cathy Harris Story: A Whistleblower's Victorious Journey to Justice."
I was a good student in school and graduated in the top tier of my high school class. I wanted to attend college, however, I didn't go.
My classmates encouraged me to go, but I had no mentor in my life to provide direction with obtaining college financial aid and scholarships, even though I had other close relatives, first cousins, who had went to college.
At the time, I knew my parents could not afford to send me to college, even though I probably was the only person out of 9 kids that expressed a desire to go.
So, after high school graduation, I started working in the factories like my parents and their parents before them.
Right away, I realized that factory work was not the life for me. My dreams and aspirations were much broader.
From an early age, I desired a better standard of living and traveling to new places was my ultimate dream.
After about a year of working in the factory, still yearning to travel, I joined the U.S. Army.
When I look back at my military years, I remembered many of the injustices I witnessed and they still haunt me to this day and this was my first introduction to any type of injustice.
I witnessed how minority male soldiers and females were treated unfairly by first sergeants and company commanders.
Even though my sisters and brothers constantly physically fought with me as children, I still don't look at what happened to me as a child as an injustice. To me it was just a part of growing up -- and yes it was painful!
My father was actually the disciplinarian in the family and he was a 'functional' alcoholic. But what I really did not like was both my mother and father had 'favorites.'
This is another reason that I have a problem today with discrimination or any type or disparity anywhere because of my upbringing and the unfairness that I felt I witnessed at an early age in my own family.
I was the youngest daughter of 4 girls and I had 3 brothers below me and 2 older brothers (9 total). To me it was just too many children and my parents were probably overwhelmed, so as soon as I finished high school and moved out at the age of 17, I forgave them. Forgiving them meant I could go on with my life.
They did the best with what they had but at the same time...I made sure when I had my own family, my two daughters, that both of them were always treated the same...always treated fairly.
I did not hold any animosity against my mother, father, sisters or brothers, even though after joining the military, I never returned home until 20 years later.
The only way that I could make sense of my upbringing was to get away from it -- to remove myself from such a negative environment.
I eventually returned to Georgia, when my two daughters were ages 13 and 14, so they could be around my family before they went off into the world...to college.
We all make decisions in our lives and sometimes those decisions propels us forward or moves us backwards.
My decision to distance myself from my family -- did propel me forward. My life was absolutely great! I enjoyed being out in the world traveling from city to city - making new friends and building relationships.
After my mom passed away a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to be with her at the end to try to understand why I had to live my life the way I did.
I think the biggest fact that really surprised my siblings when I returned home again was the fact that I was not bitter or selfish but really a caring and forgiving person.
For years I had befriended many people of different cultures and upbringings -- so everything was just different for me.
I am not saying that none of the rivalry or conflicts growing up was my fault. I am just saying that I did the best I could do with what I had...and I am sure they did too. I am just saying that - "I grew up!"
Childhood jealousy is just that -- something you should leave in your childhood. Leave the past in the past! Many people today hold grudges about something that happened in the past making it impossible for them to move on.
People who hold grudges are full of self-hate and many will have a hard time being happy, no matter where they live, how much they have, or how they live their lives.
To me being a "Black Sheep" is not a bad thing because for me it made me into the person I am today. It made me resilient and more able to cope with things in life. It made me a stronger, courageous and a visionary person.
It made me courageous enough to become a "whistleblower" and strong enough to work in a mostly male-dominated career, Customs and Border Protection, for over 20 years and raise a beautiful family -- all while still coming out on top.
Even though I feel many 'black sheeps' live on the edge and don't have any boundaries, it's extremely important to go ahead and live your life with no regrets.
Golden Years: How To Age Gracefully and Take Care of Seniors
Available as E-book & Paperback
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Retirement Planning 101
Chapter 2: Understanding How Social Security Works
Chapter 3: AARP and List of Senior Discounts
Chapter 4: Why Eating Good Food is Key to Aging Gracefully
Chapter 5: Secrets to Looking Good and Feeling Young
Chapter 6: What Family members Need to Do to Take Care of Seniors
Chapter 7: Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Caregiver?
Chapter 8: Final Goodbyes - Helping a Family Member Move Toward the Light
PREFACE - A NOTE TO THE READER
The world is aging faster than many people realize. We need to remember that from the beginning to end, life was meant to be lived with dignity, using the empathy and compassion that God gives us.
Everyone should greet each day as a gift to be lived, cherished and shared with those they love. You matter because you are you, and you matter until the last moment of your life.
When you are told that someone you love is going to die, it's as if time skips a beat. And once the clock resumes ticking, nothing is ever the same again.
My mom lived until the ripe age of 82 years old and so did her mother. So I guess you can say I am descended from a line of long-livers. However, back then things were simpler and they had access to natural foods and lived in clean environments.
When my mother died, my father had passed on over 20 years earlier. My 8 siblings and I had no idea of the amount of work we needed to do.
Not only did we need to make sure all her affairs were in order but we had to make sure she was comfortable during the last days of her life.
If you have never experienced the pain of losing a loved one, especially an elderly person in your family, then you need to keep reading this book.
Due to a culture that celebrates youth and ignores the elderly, seniors and their families are largely unprepared to deal with the challenges seniors face as they age.
This book is an 'easy-to-read' guide for those who are seeking to become more knowledgeable on how to age gracefully and how to take care of the seniors in their care.
In this country, seniors are treated horribly! Many countries, Hispanic or Latino countries and others, allows seniors to move in with their families as they age.
This not only helps families out with childcare, but it's also a great support system for seniors. However, in this country as seniors age, we look for nursing homes (aka "old folks homes") to drop seniors off at as if these homes are some sought of elephant's graveyard.
This kind of mindset has been the norm in this country for a long time and despite a fallen economy, many are still looking for these homes because they lack the proper knowledge on how to care for their loved ones. Therefore, this book is a 'must-read' for the entire family. Good luck!
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Boycott Black Friday
Fall Out
of Love With Materialistic Things and In Love Wi
th Your Ownself
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This week's action plan:
Nov. 24, 2015
1. Check in on family during Thanksgiving, especially Senior Citizens and read
"Golden Years: How To Age Gracefully and Take Care of Seniors"
2. Boycott Black Friday and fall out of love with materialistic things and in love with your ownself.
Campaign
To Take Back
America
Weekly Action Plans
My action plans include setting up
Virtual Training Centers for Women
with the following:
1) Weekly action plans listed in weekly email e-newsletters for those who like to read.
2) Training on YouTube.com videos on " Cathy Harris TV" for those who like to see and hear information.
4) Training on teleseminars and webinars for those who like these types of events.
5) The weekly lesson plan might come with recommended 'easy-to-read' books for training purposes. I believe in sharing information so all of these books will not be written by me.
If you would like to receive these postings
and teachings by email then it's simple -- join our mailing lists at one of the below links:
Sign up for my mailing list at one of the below websites:
Basically, my plan to take back America is simple -- Take control of your own life FIRST!!!
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Meet CathyHarrisSpeaks.com
WEDNESDAY
- Dec. 9, 2013, 7:30 p.m.,
New GMO Movie - "Consumed" Showing in Austin, Gateway Stadium 16@ Imax, 9700 Stonelake Blvd., Austin, TX 78759 -
Cathy's 3 Meetup.com Groups will be present:
SUNDAY - Dec. 13, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
, GMO Movie Screening and Discussion "Genetic Roulette" - 90 Minutes, Private Residence in West Austin, Peg's Place, 9506 Scenic Bluff Drive, Austin, TX
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COMING IN 2016
NEW NETWORK
SPECIFICALLY
FOR WOMEN
New Women CEOs
Women Health Seekers
Women Book Authors
Cathy Harris
Entrepreneur, Mentor, and Empowerment Coach for Women
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ATTN AUSTINITES...
Join us today....
Cathy Harris
New Meetup.com Groups
in Austin, TX
This Mastermind group for women was created for women in the Austin, TX area - 40 and over who is ready to empower themselves mentally, physically and spiritually by coming together, sharing information, bartering services, etc.
Women are the CEOs of their families and the local Austin, TX community offers many opportunities to become involved and change the world so we will offer empowerment opportunities for the entire family.
Since women buy groceries, it will take women and pet owners to pass GMO labeling laws in this country. We will offer classes, seminars, workshops and webinars on timely and relevant topics. Join us today!
This is Austin, TX community of Holistic, Naturopathic and Alternative Medicine Healers including Farmer's Markets; Organic Farmers; Non-GMO Educators; Natural Hair Stylists; Herbalists; Food Allergy Specialists; Acupuncturists; Kinesiologists; Natural Health Consultants and Coaches; Body Consciousness Healers; Mental Fitness Coaches; Health Store Owners; Holistic Energy Healers; Massage Therapists; Yoga Instructors; Body Healing Meditation; etc.
Foods affects every area of your life -- from your mood, to your behavior, to your happiness and your entire quality of life. So the main focus of this group will be how families can gain access to good food, while avoiding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), aka FrankenFoods, and live a holistic and natural lifestyle. So join us today!
We will offer classes, seminars, workshops, webinars and other training to educate the entire family.
(New Meetup.com Group)
This group is located in Austin, TX and we will motivate women and others to GO NATURAL and STAY NATURAL. We will also discuss the following:
- Why 5 out of 10 women who wear weaves, wigs, scarves and hats are suffering from "Female Pattern Baldness"
- Why women are misdiagnosed with "Alopecia"
- Why "Female Minoxidil" for women and "Rogaine" for men for hair growth causes heart attacks
- Why hair issues causes low self-esteem and depression and how to treat depression naturally
- What does GMOs have to do with your hair and...
- The correct way to take care of your hair
We will feature workshops, seminars and webinars from natural hair stylists and other holistic and natural wellness experts -- so join us today.
We also have a new facebook.com
group entitled
Join Today!!!
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"The Cathy Harris Show"
is now Prime Time
We can now record up until
11:00 p.m. weekdays
and on weekends --
so let's get ready to
educate, inform and empower...
Be a Guest On "The Cathy Harris Show."
and submit website and topic for discussion.
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Cathy Harris List of Books
Books can be read by
12 year olds
and above...
Available at
NEW BOOK - BOOK #22
Coming Soon
How To Raise Smart, Talented and Responsible Children: Dream Big Dreams
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Family Is Not Always About Blood
Chapter 2: Stop Making Excuses As a Single Mom
Chapter 3: Give Your Children Love and Teach Them Discipline at Home
Chapter 4: Teach Your Children to Read and Write
Chapter 5: By Age 10 Your Children's Talents Will Come Shining Through
Chapter 6: What is the Purpose of Schools?
Chapter 7: Set Up Legal Defense Funds To Help Your Children With the Police
Chapter 8: Prepare Your Children for College Early On
Chapter 9: What Parents Need to Know About Workplaces Today
Chapter 10: Let's Redefine the Game of Business Ownership
Chapter 11: Top Business Myths and Mistakes
Chapter 12: Top 12 Questions To Ask Before Joining Any Business Groups
Dedication
I will call this book my little big book. It is filled with tons of information to help any average aspiring Mother, Father or youth take a hold of their own lives.
It is dedicated to my two lovely daughters who were the true teachers in my own life. Both of you have made me very, very proud. Keep up the good work - ladies.
Preface - A Note to the Reader
Even though my childhood could be described as underprivileged, I always felt rich because of the upbringing and values instilled in me as a child.
I have had many obstacles in my life but being a mother has never been one of them. I knew from a very early age that I did want to have kids one day so from a very early age, I mentally prepared myself to be in a position to raise smart, talented and responsible children.
I did this simply by just paying attention to what was happening around me. After high school and after joining the U.S. Military, I meet and fell in love with another soldier and we were married.
But our union only lasted 7 years, however, out of our union, we had 2 lovely, adorable and incredible daughters. By the time I met my husband, I knew what I had to do.
First of all I had to put my health first because I realized early on, that a mother's health, whether it's good or bad, can be passed on to her newborn so I have always engaged in a good regular health routine -- in order to give my children the best chance they had of being born healthy.
You should always put your kids first because they are the movie stars in your lives and it's your job to nurture them so that they can grow up into responsible human beings.
As heads of the household and primary caregivers, it's up to many parents today, especially single mothers, to guide and mold their children into successful members of society.
I think I did a brilliant job of that. Both my daughters received Master's Degrees and they also became business owners in their early 20s.
I had to work through many difficulties and issues in my life but I count my blessings every day to see my family, my two daughters, bloom into the type of ethical and strong women that I could be proud of.
I taught my daughters to show gratitude and count their blessings - while they celebrate even the small victories in their lives.
Excerpt:
Chapter 5: By Age 10 Your Children's Talents Will Come Shining Through
By the time a child reaches 10 years of age, their talents will be shining through. I saw at least 8 different skills and talents in my daughters as they grew up.
However, the things that they were most interested in, is the direction I pushed them into. So from a very early age, I helped my daughters design a life that they could truly love.
My oldest never made below a 95 in science so I knew from the very beginning, that she would end up in the medical field so today she is an occupational therapist.
She was an extrovert and very outgoing, which meant she needed friends around her so she became a cheerleader for 10 years.
My youngest was an introvert and did better by herself. Like me, she had a handful of friends and became a bookworm, which meant studies were very important to her.
Once I bought her a computer at 10 years of age, she would disappear in her room writing for hours and eventually won several writing awards for her poems and short stories. So today she is a Creative Writer and English Instructor/Professor.
Whatever area your children are excelling in, you need to push them into that direction so they can grow up in those careers and be happy.
Both of my daughters, unlike the 80% of undergraduates and graduates today, are still working in their fields.
Because I worked with my daughters early on to really figure out which direction they needed to go in, they both ended up picking the right careers.
Today half of all college students are still relying on their parents for support 2 years after graduating college.
By the time children turn 17 or 18 years old, and is preparing to leave home, if you have not instilled a certain value system and principle in them, then it's already too late.
By the time my daughters turned 18, they were handling many situations on their own. Over the years, when my daughters needed to figure things out, I would tell them to do a PROS and CONS list -- and if they had more pros than cons, then maybe they should do what they were thinking about doing.
So I taught my daughters from very early on how to think logically and figure things out on their own.
Release Date - Dec. 1, 2015
as E-book and Paperback
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Cathy Harris Audiobooks
Also available as E-books & Paperbacks
Audiobook Sample
Available at:
Itunes.com
Audiobook Sample
Available at:
Itunes.com
Audiobook Sample
Available at:
Itunes.com
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Bring in the Expert?
Got A Question? - Ask the Expert
This Week's Questions:
Cathy Harris
Seminars and Works
hops
Cathy Harris
Empowerment Webinars
Sign Up On Mailing List To
Receive Webinar Notices
The Cathy Harris Show
Be a Guest On "The Cathy Harris Show."
and submit website and topic for discussion.
Cathy Harris Coaching Services
Move to the Next Level with Cathy Harris Coaching Services
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Also available for One-On-One or Group/Classroom Sessions Through Skype
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Cathy Harris is known as The Empowerment Guru
and is the author of over 20 non-fiction books which covers topics on family and community empowerment, health, youth and adult entrepreneurship, writing/publishing, workplace discrimination (sexism, sexual harassment, sex and race discrimination), whistleblowing, law enforcement, government, domestic and international traveling, politics, media, beauty, car buying and selling for women, aging/retirement - just to name a few. Her books and articles are full of content-rich material to help anyone get back into the driver's seat and are available at
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Other Social Media Groups...
Join Cathy's Groups on Facebook.com
Brought To You By
AngelsPress.com
Cathy Harris, Speaker, Author, Trainer
Angels Press, CEO, President, Publisher
P.O. Box 19282
Austin, TX 78760
(512) 909-7365
Forward to Everyone You Know.
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