Welcome to Fifty Eleven Times. 

Your tomorrow is here! 

For those of you that have never heard the term “Fifty Eleven Times”, in a nutshell it means ‘too many times’, or ‘countless times’.  Growing up, I always heard this phrase from my mother, who always heard it from her mother. When my mom would say it, it was usually because she was tired of repeating herself. She’d say “I’ve told you fifty eleven times to clean that room”, or “Why do I have to keep telling you the same thing fifty eleven times?”. So when I finally got the nerve and decided to blog, naming it Fifty Eleven Times was the only logical name that made perfect sense. After all, how many times do we tell ourselves that we’re going to do a thing, and never do it?

When I think about it, this blog is almost 40 years in the making. Even today, as I write this intro for all the world to read, fear and insecurity are whispering in my ear. And yet, for the first time in my life, my desire to succeed is greater than my fear of failure.  Believe me, I’ve heard (and told myself) all the motivational and inspirational phrases one could tell one’s self about how fear and doubt can cripple you, and that you must push past all that and do it scared. Or how you have to re-train your mind to believe that you are already equipped with everything you need within to succeed. Or how failure isn’t really failure, but rather a lesson or tool to help you go back and make it better. And I believe that. I’ve always believed that.  And I’ve always known that fear has played, and continues to play, a major role in why I haven’t done all the things I’ve always wanted to do.  Fear has been my right hand man, if you will, for most of the decision making all of my life.  Meanwhile, in saying “do it scared”, I’ll admit I thought that fear would somehow go away on it’s own so I could begin. Nope! Fear would tag along for the ride…and I would stop, thinking I had failed at overcoming fear, while yet still believing “one day…”.  Today, I make the decision, and give myself permission, to proceed.  Fear can come, but it sits in the back seat this time.

It was never my intention to reinvent the wheel or be filthy rich (although I did want to be a singer lol). All I ever really wanted to do was make a difference by using what was already around me, and then help others do the same.  I look back now, and see that I’ve done that for friends and family, but not for myself, at least not to the fullest extent.  In today’s age, with technology and social media literally at our fingertips, how could I not try?  I’ve thought, and planned, and researched, and visualized, and written for decades.  I’ve listened to the advice of my family and friends and mentors.  Today, I try.  I have no finished product. This is a work in progress.  Today I get out of my own way, listen to that still small voice inside me, and allow God to bless me the way He has always wanted to.

I’ve told myself fifty eleven times that I would bust a move.  Well, tomorrow is here.  Its finally time.  It’s my time.  This blog is my journey to my destiny.  It will encompass all that I know, and all I have yet to learn.  It will show my strengths, and will expose my weaknesses.  More importantly, it will be written by, for and about me.  And while that may sound selfish or conceited, it really isn’t.  I cannot  speak from anyone else’s perspective except my own.  At the same time, I know am I not alone.  There are millions of others out there who, like me, aren’t necessarily trying to be better than anyone, but know they can be and do better than they are right now.

So if you’re still reading, then my guess is that this sounds like you too. And I invite you to take this journey with me.  My hope is that it will help you on your journey, as well. And my prayer is that maybe, just maybe, we can all help each other.  Thank you for reading, and I pray that this blog never gets boring, and that it blesses all of us.

                 And if you need to know why I’m doing this, it’s all about my life philosophy – No one can do this for you, except you. So be yourself; everyone else is already taken.